Vlad Jr. tees off in debut -- see where this ball lands
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CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is back.
In his first plate appearance of Spring Training against the Phillies on Saturday, Guerrero launched a 426-foot homer to left field that soared over the bleachers before crashing back down to earth next to a tiki bar on the concourse. Phillies left fielder Adam Haseley took two steps back toward the wall before stopping to watch for himself.
Guerrero is coming off a 48-homer season with the Blue Jays, the second-most in club history behind Jose Bautista’s 54 in 2010. Pair that with a .311 average and a 1.002 OPS, and Guerrero finished second in American League MVP voting, beaten only by the historic season from Shohei Ohtani.
From the moment camp opened, Guerrero has been putting on shows in batting practice and live BP against his own pitchers. The 23-year-old has maintained his weight from 2021, which was a catalyst for his breakout season, and added muscle to a frame that was already built for launching baseballs.
“What we did last year was a trailer. Now, you guys are going to see the movie,” Guerrero said Thursday.
Saturday in Clearwater, then, was the sneak peek.