'Ridiculous power': Clutch Vlad goes oppo for the win

CHICAGO -- When in doubt, let Vladdy bang.

It’s not quite as simple as forcing the ball to LeBron James or Nikola Jokic in a tied game, of course. John Schneider can’t just write “Vladdy” on a board and draw a dozen arrows to his name, but when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was at his best in 2021, that’s what it felt like. He felt inevitable, as much as one can in a sport where you take turns.

He’s starting to show up in those moments again, in the way only great players do. Tuesday’s 4-3 win over the White Sox was all Guerrero, dragging the Blue Jays back from what was threatening to be a photocopy of so many recent losses.

Guerrero’s two-run shot to the opposite field felt a lot like last Thursday’s blast against the Giants at Rogers Centre, a towering home run that salvaged an otherwise horrendous game offensively. He has that uncanny ability to flip a game, and with four home runs in his past 10 games, Guerrero is finally hitting for the power that famous last name on his jersey is capable of.

“Vladdy in a groove is dangerous,” Schneider said. “Everyone knows that. He’s been in these spots quite a bit. He’s putting together consistent at-bats. Vladdy in a groove, I like that. If we can get that consistently, that would do wonders for our team.”

Schneider has always defined “clutch” as doing the same thing you always do, just in big moments. In the past, when Guerrero’s been in those grooves, it’s felt like he has an ability to slow time altogether.

“For me, all at-bats are very important, but especially late in the game,” Guerrero said through a club interpreter. “I kind of mentally prepare myself even more, just in case a big moment like tonight happens. That’s what I do. Thank God things are going well for me, and I hope it continues that way.”

There’s nothing perfect about these wins. The Blue Jays’ offense is still falling asleep for long stretches of games, and in the inning prior to Guerrero’s heroics, it left runners stranded on second and third base after teeing it up for the top of the lineup.

Power is baseball’s favorite paint job, though. Slap some of that on top of seven or eight ugly innings at the plate and suddenly it all looks good.

It will also keep your pitchers happy. Kevin Gausman has pitched brilliantly this season, but he’s received some of the worst run support in Major League Baseball. Tuesday, it was Chris Bassitt’s turn. After Toronto’s starter carried a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth, one swing from Luis Robert Jr. put the Blue Jays down. For too long, it looked like that’s how it would end. Bassitt deserved the win himself, but a team win is good enough for now.

“Ridiculous power,” Bassitt said of Guerrero. “But when he’s able to shoot singles, you’re in some trouble. I believe he shot a slider to right? Then, after that, there isn’t a pitch that can beat him. When he’s doing that, you know he’s on.”

Nothing comes easy for these Blue Jays, though. The wins, even meaningful ones like this, feel like uphill races. The odd 7-1 win that allows the bullpen to kick it into cruise control for a few innings would be more than welcome, but for now, they’ll continue to grind out tense innings.

What these players all believe is that it will click. All facets, all at once.

“I don’t even think we’re close to our potential,” Bassitt said. “We pitch really good at times, we hit really really good at times, but we haven’t even come close to putting it together for a number of reasons. Overall, I think everyone’s healthy and we’re about to get more guys back healthy. We’ve survived having a rotation that’s a little down. I think, by far, the best baseball we have is to come. Not even close.”

It looks like Guerrero is finding his best baseball, at least, and he’s always been the one player who can put this team on his back.

The reality of the American League Wild Card race is that it will be crowded until the very end. These past few years of Blue Jays playoff runs have been a sometimes cruel lesson in just how important every game is when they’re all tallied up at the end. Whether this complete brand of baseball ever shows itself, the uphill climb gets easier when Guerrero plays some hero ball.