Here's what they're saying about Vlad Jr.
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TORONTO -- The hysteria surrounding Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached a fever pitch this weekend, when MLB Pipeline's No. 1 ranked prospect made his long-awaited Major League debut.
Guerrero received standing ovations almost every time he stepped into the box. The NBA's Toronto Raptors rolled out the red carpet by inviting Guerrero to Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semi-final, and he was welcomed to the city with a big hug from Drake. It was a whirlwind 72 hours, to say the least.
"Everything has been so great," Guerrero said through an interpreter. "I just went to watch the Raptors game, they saw me, and I'm very proud of it. When you meet your favorite singer, you really feel great."
Toronto had been waiting more than a year for this moment, but the rest of the baseball world had its eyes glued to the Blue Jays this weekend as well. Here is a rundown of some of the best quotes about Guerrero. From Toronto to Oakland and a few other teams around the Majors, it was all Guerrero, all the time:
"The greats are the greats. Babe Ruth could play today, in my opinion. And this guy, the kid has grown up around the clubhouse, he’s grown up around baseball with his dad. He’s not afraid or intimidated -- you can already see that. He just thinks it’s another day at the office, which is a testament to him and how he’s grown up in the game." -- A's pitching coach Scott Emerson
"I was fortunate enough to be at Stephen Strasburg’s debut. It was somewhat similar, but this is like nothing I’ve ever seen. CC Sabathia was a great player and still is. Francisco Lindor is a great player, I was there for his debut. I’ve seen a lot of great players transition. I’ve never seen anything quite like this." -- Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins
"We were all sitting here watching it, and I had a moment where I was like, ‘Man, is this what was going on when I was having my first at-bat? I had no clue.’ That kid’s going to be a stud. He’s a good player." -- Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant
"He deserves every bit of the attention. I mean, 20 years old, the No. 1 prospect in the game. To do what he has done in the Minor Leagues so quick, he deserves it, and honestly he has handled it really well. The big leagues don't scare him. He has been around it since he was a baby. ... I can't wait to see when he gets hot, because it's going to be pretty impressive." -- Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak.
"I texted him right away and I told him, 'Keep working hard, you deserve it and congrats. You're one of the best players I've ever seen. Just keep doing what you're doing and enjoy the game.' He just answered me 'Thank you. You too, kid. Keep going.' I'd love to play against him and with him in the World Baseball Classic one time." -- White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez
"I was probably just as excited as the entire fan base, to be honest with you, getting Vladdy up here. It’s like having Zion Williamson on your team. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of talent. Just to have the opportunity to play with him is amazing, to look out there and see him behind me at third base. I think it’s going to give us a huge mental edge." -- Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman
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"We're just as excited as you guys are. He's a great player. You can see it by his at-bats. The game kind of comes easy to him. If we can add a bat like that to our lineup, it just makes our club that much better. We're all super excited about it." -- Blue Jays infielder Brandon Drury
"He's a special player. I feel like I played with a lot of good players in the Minor Leagues, and he's far and away the best Minor League hitter. If you asked me last year who's the best hitter you've ever seen, the answer would be him." -- Giants left-hander Travis Bergen
"Man, it has brought that excitement back. It feels like playoff baseball in here. It has been fun. For me, I've never really got to see him play, to be blessed to be able to watch this kid every night do something special. I'm actually looking forward to it." -- Blue Jays starter Aaron Sanchez
"What I can tell you is he is making it on his own progress, not because of my name. He is creating his own name. He is going to be good." -- Vladimir Guerrero Sr., through an interpreter.
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"It’s hard to [compare the two], even though I played with his dad. He’s a Hall of Famer, but by the time I played with his dad, basically Guerrero [Sr.] was a polished player. Now with his son, we have to give him time, let him play and see what happens. Time will tell. But I saw the kid, I know that he has a lot of talent, and he’s definitely going to be a good player. We just have to wait and see what happens." -- A's first baseman Kendrys Morales
"I would be nervous, I know that for sure. But playing defense and stuff -- I don’t know if it’s because he grew up in the clubhouse, maybe it makes him more relaxed, but he really is really relaxed. That’s pretty good. It’s special to be like that." -- Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo