MLB All-Star Games: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Makes Tough Decision Amid Blue Jays Struggles
· Yahoo Sports
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made it to the list. He became the starting first baseman for the American League in the MLB All-Star Game. This is the sixth time the Toronto Blue Jays star has earned a spot. But just hours after the list was confirmed with multiple Jays players in starting positions, Vladdy announced to sit it out this time.
“Very grateful to everyone who voted for me… but at this time, very respectfully, I’m declining to go,” sports broadcaster Hazel Mae quoted Guerrero Jr. on her X post.
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The Blue Jays 1B earned his first All-Star accolade in 2021. He hasn’t missed an All-Star game since then. Vladdy, along with Earnie Clemente (2B), Dylan Cease (SP), and Louis Varland (reliever), made it to the AL list. But Guerrero Jr. chose to focus on something else.
“It’s very difficult for me. But I really have to take care of myself, and I’ve got to put my team first for the second half,” he added.
Notably, he has missed five games due to back tightness this season. The most recent one was against the New York Mets last Tuesday. And he isn’t in the best shape this year either. Batting at .268, with a .699 OPS, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has managed just four home runs so far. Last year, he had 23 in the regular season. Toronto isn’t in a bright spot either.
They are third in the AL East with a 42-47 record. The Blue Jays had a six-game slide at home in June, but they somewhat recovered with a 2-1 series win against the Mets. But they just suffered an 11-0 shutout loss in Seattle. And now they are 3.0 games behind a Wild Card spot.
Given the situation, Guerrero Jr.’s decision makes perfect sense. And the way he sacrificed being part of the prestigious event earned him more respect from the Toronto fans. However, there are some contrasting views as well.
Many baseball fans believe that he earned his All-Star spot not because of his performance this season but for his overall career. Factually, Ben Rice from the New York Yankees had much better numbers (.931 OPS, 56 RBI, 24 HRs) for the same spot.
And many believed that the Toronto fans tried to put all their players in the starting positions, irrespective of their performances. They even called to ban fan voting for the All-Star games.
However, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remained at the top of the ballot results and earned a starting spot. Whether he deserved the honor or not still remains debatable. But the way he put his team first clearly established why the Toronto fans show so much support for their star.
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