BOSTON -- Just over a year ago, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stood in this same rugged hallway at Fenway Park. It was the beginning of the greatest year of his baseball life.
He’d just signed a $500 million contract that morning. He didn’t know it yet, but a World Series run was laid out in front of him, and in six months, he’d be the most popular man in the country. Saturday afternoon, he walked down that same hallway, between all of the brick and concrete, and last year suddenly felt so long ago.
We’re talking about endings now, not beginnings. The 47-57 Blue Jays are careening towards the Trade Deadline as sellers. Just as Guerrero’s brilliance defined the 2025 Blue Jays, his struggles define this year’s team.
Entering Saturday, Guerrero has just six home runs this season, tied for 223rd in baseball. Of the 147 qualified hitters, his .354 slugging percentage ranks Guerrero 132nd. Rays speedster Chandler Simpson, who’s never homered in the big leagues, sits one spot above him. Everywhere you look, this gets more stunning.
“There’s still 58 games left. I know I’m better than that and I know I can get better,” Guerrero said through interpreter Hector Lebron. “It’s frustrating. There’s 58 games left and you know how baseball is. Anything can happen. Myself and the rest of the guys, we’ve just got to continue to play hard.”
Guerrero asked fans to be patient, which is a tricky proposal. Blue Jays fans came into this season with World Series expectations, because of course they did. This season hasn’t just been a disappointment in the standings, it’s seen the Blue Jays lose the identity that made them a countrywide sensation in 2025. They’re dead last in MLB in runs scored. Unless you’re playing airtight defense with a few Cy Young candidates in the rotation, that’s never going to work.
The face of the franchise isn’t oblivious to this, of course. That $500 million contract signs you up for expectations and criticisms that others simply don’t face. We can debate where the line is on what’s “fair," but part of Guerrero’s job description is now to take on more media responsibilities, more pressure and more responsibility than everyone else in that clubhouse.
“He’s dealt with it forever, good or bad,” manager John Schneider said. “When he’s good, that’s what he’s supposed to do. When he’s not, it’s, ‘What the hell are you doing?’ He’s handling it well. It’s important for him to really show the way here when times are tough. He’s somebody who the guys look up to and follow. It’s a little extra for him. Him talking to you guys and saying he’s not playing as good as he can be and we’re not playing as good as we can be is accountability.”
There’s also a difference between public messaging and what happens when the clubhouse doors close. All of those times Schneider sits at the podium, holding steady for his team and preaching his belief in the next day? That’s just the version we see. Minutes later, he could be lighting up the clubhouse or sitting a player down in his office.
Schneider knows Guerrero as well as anyone, at least anyone without the last name “Guerrero." Beyond the 2025 World Series, he was right there for Guerrero’s best days as the No. 1 prospect in the game, standing on the top step of the dugout and watching on in awe. Schneider knows the incredible things Guerrero is capable of, but we haven’t seen them in too long.
“He’s trying to capture the same thing. When it’s right, he’s one of the best,” Schneider said. “He’s trying to get there and not reinvent himself at this point. It’s just being on time, hitting the ball hard and whatever happens is going to happen. It always comes down to what you’re swinging at. If he’s swinging in the zone, he’s pretty good.”
Guerrero isn’t the only reason the Blue Jays are in this spot, only one of dozens. If you look at that long list, though, Guerrero’s name stands out. It’s the most surprising story of the season, a season which is just over a week away from what could be a dark day at the Trade Deadline.
“I let the front office do their job,” Guerrero said. “I’m going to focus and concentrate on doing my job.”
That’s how he’s always wanted it. Guerrero’s job description changed in these Fenway hallways a year ago, though, and now, he’s seen both sides of what that brings.