Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left Tuesday night’s loss to the Nationals early, and the timing couldn’t be worse for a team that’s already running out of rope.
The Blue Jays fell 8-6 in Washington, dropping to 49-59 on the year. They’re five and a half games out of the third Wild Card spot, which feels like a bigger gap than it looks on paper given how many teams are ahead of them. Guerrero exited in the middle of the game after rounding first base and heading toward second.
Manager John Schneider told reporters, including veteran reporter Hazel Mae, that Guerrero felt his hamstring tighten as he hit the bag. “His hamstring was a little tight, as he hit the base there, and then turned into second it was a little sore,” Schneider said. Guerrero wanted to stay in the game, but Schneider made the call to pull him.
The team will check on him Wednesday morning before the 1:05 p.m. ET rubber match. That’s about as vague as it gets with hamstring stuff. It could be a minor tweak that calms down overnight. Or it could linger for weeks, which is the last thing a guy trying to salvage his season needs.
The downward spiral
Guerrero started 2025 like he was picking up right where he left off after winning ALCS MVP. Hot April, MVP buzz, the whole thing. Then May happened. June was worse. July was just kind of there. His numbers have slid hard, and the team’s slide has mirrored his.
It’s not just about wins and losses at this point. The Blue Jays aren’t making the playoffs unless something ridiculous happens. But Guerrero ending the year strong would at least give everyone one positive talking point going into the offseason. Instead, this franchise has spent the last three months collecting disappointments like trading cards.
What’s next
Schneider will update the media before Wednesday’s game. That’s when we’ll know whether this is a day-to-day thing or something that lands Guerrero on the IL. For fans still holding out hope, Guerrero’s health is basically the only thing left to watch.
The Nats series wraps up Wednesday afternoon. After that, the Blue Jays head to Baltimore, which isn’t exactly a get-right spot. One more update before first pitch, and then everyone holds their breath.
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