Vlad Jr. HR goes into OF's glove, out of park

Vladimir Guerrero’s first home run of the 2020 season required a little help from the Nationals’ outfield, but he’ll take it.

In the second inning of Toronto's 5-1 win over the Nationals on Tuesday, Guerrero lifted a slider from Nats starter Austin Voth a Statcast-projected 385 feet to left-centre. On a normal night, he probably needed to hit it 390. But center fielder Victor Robles and left fielder Emilio Bonifácio chased the ball back to the wall, leaping to make the catch at the same time.

Robles had it and might have come down with a highlight-reel catch, but Bonifacio’s outstretched arm crashed into Robles’, knocking off his glove and sending the ball skipping over the wall and into the Blue Jays’ bullpen.

The story around Guerrero since his 2019 debut has focused on lifting the baseball, which he’s been working on by adding more extension to his swing. Most of Guerrero’s shots will be no-doubters, like the home run he hit clear over the Green Monster in exhibition play against the Red Sox last week. But this one counts just the same.

“He’s still a young kid, so he’ll make an adjustment, and he’ll find a way,” manager Charlie Montoyo said after the game. “He always finds ways to get hits. He’ll be alright. He’s been pulling off a little bit, but that happens. It’s only five games.”

The home run was Guerrero’s first in 137 plate appearances, stretching all the way back to Aug. 22, when he launched one off the Dodgers' Kenta Maeda.