Due to a knee injury, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will not represent the Dominican
Republic in the World Baseball Classic.
After Guerrero Jr. left Friday’s spring training game early, an MRI showed that there was no structural issue with his
right knee, just some mild inflammation. Toronto will take every safety measure to safeguard its superstar in front of
the 2023 campaign, as he is regarded as day-to-day.
According to Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling, Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters on Saturday, “I think
what drove him was putting the team at the forefront.” “He’s upset that he is unable to play.
It’s an awesome activity. However, he is aware that the team will take precedence over the WBC. We’ll thus get him back out there one day at a time.”
The 23-year-old is coming off a lackluster 2022 season in which he played in 160 games and hit.274 with 32 home
runs and 97 RBIs. While those are still impressive figures, they pale in comparison to what he accomplished in a
breakout 2021 season in which he finished second in the American League MVP race to Shohei Ohtani.
Guerrero Jr., who is hitting.300 with two home runs in five Grapefruit League games this spring, has made
appearances. On March 30, the Blue Jays travel to face the St. Louis Cardinals in the first game of the regular season.
The Dominican Republic is seen as one of the favorites to win the WBC even without Guerrero Jr. Offensive titans
like Rafael Devers, Julio Rodriguez, Manny Machado, and Juan Soto lead their team. Sandy Alcantara, the ace of the
Miami Marlins, leads a pitching staff with a lot of depth behind him.
