The Toronto Blue Jays got a quick bit of relief Wednesday afternoon. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is back in the lineup for the Canada Day matinee against the New York Mets, one day after being scratched with lower back tightness.
Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reported that Guerrero Jr. will bat second, with George Springer out on paternity leave. Braydon Fisher gets the start as the opener against Freddy Peralta and the Mets.
Tuesday’s late scratch raised some eyebrows. Guerrero Jr. wasn’t in the original lineup posted for the 3-0 loss, and the team announced the change just before first pitch. For a guy who’s been the engine of this offense, seeing him get pulled that late felt ominous. But whatever that tightness was, it didn’t stick around long.
This season has been a weird one for Toronto. The Blue Jays sit at 40-45, which is brutal for a team that came one win shy of a World Series last year. Injuries have piled up — Max Scherzer’s been out since June 10 with his own back problem and some side discomfort, and the roster has been a shuffled mess at times. But Guerrero Jr. being back this fast after a back scare is about as good as news gets for a team that can’t catch a break.
The Blue Jays aren’t dead yet. They’re still in the wild card mix, and the offense goes nowhere if their star slugger is on the shelf. Getting him back for this series matters. The Mets aren’t exactly world-beaters this year, but Toronto needs every win it can get before the trade deadline decides whether this team buys or sells.
First pitch is at 3:07 PM ET in Toronto. Guerrero Jr. will be in the two-hole, which is where he’s done most of his damage this season. It’s just one game, but for a fanbase that’s been holding its breath all week, it’s something.
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