The 2026 MLB season for the Toronto Blue Jays ended in disappointment, as they were unable to return to the postseason and defend their American League Championship from last year.
The Blue Jays, who also traded away multiple players during the season, got a disappointing output from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who didn’t live up to expectations – especially at home.
What needs to change for him?
Longtime Reds Infielder Joey Votto Explains How To Fix Toronto Blue Jays Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Longtime Cincinnati Reds infielder Joey Votto, who spent the final season of his MLB career with the Blue Jays organization, laid out a plan for Guerrero Jr.
“I think it would be as simple as, let’s see how fast we can work to start with the attempt to get our barrel deeper by driving the ball slightly right of center. We’re going to homer. Only homers,” Votto said. “We’re not going to line the ball. We’re not going to flatten the ball. We want some height to right-center.”
He continued:
“We get it deeper with the move because Vladdy will never, ever need exit velocity, need power, need distance. We’ll never need to work on pulling the ball, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever.”
In 2026, Guerrero Jr. hit .260 with only nine home runs and 57 RBI.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Drew Controversy With Recent Remarks
Guerrero Jr. drew controversy with some controversial remarks in which he said that his hefty contract that he received was because of what he’d already accomplished, not what he was going to do in the future.
“I want people to understand one thing,” Guerrero said in Spanish. “The money they gave me wasn’t for what I’m going to do. It was for what I already did. They didn’t pay me because I’m going to hit 40 [homers] every year. They paid me for what I already accomplished. People are confused about that, but I think the same way they do. Like, sometimes I even say to myself: ‘Bro, they gave you all that money and you’re out here doing nothing. I try.’”
Not long afterward, he apologized for what he initially said.
“I just gave it some thought, and I felt like the comments I made the other day were not really what I wanted to say,” Guerrero said. “I felt that everyone, my fans and everyone, deserves an apology from me.”
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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