Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was the last person to leave the Toronto dugout after the Game 7 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series last fall because the star slugger wanted that to be the moment when he moved on.
The first full workout for the Blue Jays at spring training Monday brought some clarity to that plan.
“When I left, I felt like I had faced reality, and the only thing I had left to say to myself was just thank God for the year I had, for the year the team had had,” Guerrero said through an interpreter. “Right then, I just turned the page.”
The Blue Jays lost the decisive game 5-4 in 11 innings, missing on a second consecutive chance to clinch the franchise’s third championship at home. For manager John Schneider, this spring training is no different from a year ago.
“The main message is we’re not defending anything,” Schneider said. “We’re not defending the AL East. We’re not defending the American League. We’re attacking 2026 like we did in 2025 or any year, really. You’re trying to win the division, you’re trying to win the World Series. That’s it.”
Guerrero jolted the franchise at the start of the spring last year, when he said there was no deal on a new contract and that his own deadline for getting one done had passed, raising the specter of free agency in 2026.
Instead, the sides settled on a $500 million, 14-year contract early last season, and the son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero went on to hit .292 with 23 home runs and 84 RBIs.
In the postseason, Guerrero had a 1.289 OPS while hitting .397 with eight homers in 18 games and was MVP of the American League Championship Series. He didn’t homer in any of his first three trips to the playoffs, and the Blue Jays lost all six of those games.
“Going back to the postseason last year, I think it’s really cool for everyone to be on that heightened stage and to see how they responded,” Schneider said. “I think that kind of bleeds into this year, but (Guerrero) has been a little bit more vocal than I’ve ever seen him, a little bit more loose than I’ve ever seen him and understands that he’s one of the best players in the game.”
The 26-year-old Guerrero, a five-time All-Star, is now the longest-tenured Blue Jays player.
“I don’t see myself as a leader,” Guerrero said. “I always put myself as a good teammate, and when you are a good teammate, then you become a good leader. I’m a good teammate.”
His role as the face of the franchise was cemented when Bo Bichette left the team, signing a $126 million, three-year with the New York Mets and moving from shortstop to third base.
“It’s difficult not having him around,” said Guerrero, who played with Bichette through the minor leagues. “I mean, we played 10 years together. But at the same time, I understand it’s business, and he has to take care of his family as well.”
The Blue Jays signed Japanese infielder Kazuma Okamoto to fill the void left by Bichette while adding pitchers Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce.
“I think we’re very capable,” Guerrero said. “I think it’s going to be more fun, and I’m actually more happy than last year.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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