Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was back at third base this week. Here’s why the Blue Jays might keep him there
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was back at his preferred position this week and how often he plays there will have a major impact on the Blue Jays’ plans for this upcoming off-season.
Guerrero made back-to-back appearances at third base on Tuesday and Wednesday. He has made eight starts there this year and that number is expected to grow substantially over the final five weeks of the season.
No, the Jays aren’t on the verge of naming Guerrero as their new starting third baseman. He’s still going to get a lot of time at first base in the coming weeks, but a more permanent transition hasn’t been ruled out.
First things first, though, the club needs to make sure Guerrero can handle it.
“I’m going to be available to play third base and first base,” Guerrero told the Star through interpreter Hector Lebron. “Whatever the front office decides, it’s not under my control. If they want me to play third, I’ll give 100 per cent to help my team win, but it’s not under my control.”
It has been more than four years since the Jays moved Guerrero off third and sent him across the diamond. At the time, the future AL MVP candidate was coming off a season in which he registered -20 outs above average, last in the majors.
A lack of athleticism and questionable footwork turned Guerrero into a defensive liability. He had the arm for the position and occasionally made highlight-reel grabs, but he frequently struggled with routine plays. He led the team with 17 errors. When the Jays convened for a mini-camp prior to the COVID-19-abbreviated 2020 season, they made the switch.
A lot has changed since then. Guerrero is in much better shape than he was in 2020 and he has proven more reliable with the glove while playing at first. Equally relevant, much of the talent that once surrounded Guerrero is gone and the Jays might need to get creative in their efforts to upgrade the roster.
General manager Ross Akins failed in his attempt to secure an impact bat at third base last off-season. He instead found a temporary solution by signing Isiah Kiner-Falefa to a two-year deal before trading him to the Pittsburgh Pirates late last month.
