TORONTO — “The ball is round and comes in a square box. »
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. smiles through his words, evoking the old Spanish saying about the strangeness of this game. It rings true in many ways for Guerrero and the Blue Jays right now, but it seemed especially fitting after the 10-game win -8 on Saturday against the Twins at Rogers Centre.
Toronto completed its biggest comeback of the season, erasing a six-point deficit with contributions from up and down the lineup. The rally was built on perseverance, one inning at a time, and with layers – the type of outing that has eluded the Blue Jays more often than not this year.
It offered much-needed support to what this club has preached about its attack through an uneven start to the season.
“This is who we are,” Guerrero said in Spanish after the match. “Of course, we go out every day to win and compete, and fortunately we feel very comfortable and we come together on the field to win.”
Vlad will always be a central piece of this puzzle.
He showed it Saturday, when he came in with the bases loaded and hit his fourth single of the day to score two runs and tie the game at eight in the sixth. That moment was preceded by homers from Bo Bichette, Danny Jansen and Davis Schneider, which helped cut into the Twins’ lead against Kevin Gausman.
Guerrero did the same thing in that crucial sixth inning, focusing on finding a pitch he could drive — this time a 94 mph fastball inside. He came to life alongside the 35,069 fans in attendance, screaming and pumping his fists as he reached first base.
“When you see your team trailing and we’re going for that tie, those (emotions) come out,” Guerrero said. “You don’t even think about it. It happens, especially with the energy of the fans.
Quietly — though there’s nothing quiet about his at-bats right now — Guerrero has posted a .408 average with a .984 OPS over the last 12 games. It’s a much-needed turnaround, considering he was hitting .229 with a .678 OPS in late April.
“Things are going well for me right now,” Guerrero said. “I just control my at-bats and stay calm. … There are six months in a season, and you won’t see anyone struggling for six months straight. You have to accept (where you are), turn the page and arrive early the next day to continue working.
No need to force a round dowel into a square hole.
Confidence is a key element for Vladdy to give his best. Watch him during this hot streak and you’ll see how comfortable he is, whether celebrating a stolen base, chatting with opponents at first base or letting out all the adrenaline after a clutch hit.
His opponents see it too.
“I think he feels like himself again,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said of Guerrero. “I know I’ve seen this version of Vladdy many times over the years. I think he looks very comfortable. I think he hits fastballs and offspeed pitches.
Early home runs and Vlad’s crucial base hit set the stage for another two-run frame in the seventh, as Toronto sent eight batters to the plate and the streak of good at-bats continued with three singles, two walks and a sac fly. The bullpen, which has faced its own challenges of late, held on until the end.
Strangely, unevenly, everything clicked.
“Our bats have been going in the right direction for about a week,” manager John Schneider said. “It’s just a very timely strike from a lot of different people.” … These guys are better than what they’ve shown, you know, so far. The confidence hasn’t wavered and I hope this type of victory will take you a little further.
It was as much a sigh of relief for the offense as it was for Gausman, who once again ran into trouble against the Twins, lasting just three innings and allowing seven runs (six earned). There was also justification in the late breakout, as the right-hander pitched with little run support for most of his time with the Blue Jays.
“It was incredible to watch,” Gausman said. “The team – the bullpen and the offense – completely got me back. …No one gave up, no one gave in.
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