Blue Jays' Guerrero Jr. ignored warnings to "slow down" during Home Run Derby win
For at least one day, Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the king of the world.
Last night, Guerrero topped Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena in the final round of the 2023 Home Run Derby, taking home the same crown his father did back in 2007.
Speaking to the media after his win in front of a packed house at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park, Guerrero was full of zingers following his total of 72 dingers through three rounds.
“Everybody was telling me to calm down, to slow down, but I can’t. I just can’t. I have to continue to hit homers,” Guerrero said, per USA TODAY’s Gabe Lacques, via his translator Hector Lebron.
Before taking on Arozarena, Guerrero powered through Los Angeles Dodger Mookie Betts in the first round, then mowed down Seattle’s own Julio Rodriguez in the semifinal.
And his pitcher was familiar to Toronto fans: Blue Jays manager John Schneider.
Though he was selected to the All-Star Game for the third time in his short career, it hasn’t been exactly his best season to date — Guerrero Jr. is batting .274 with 94 hits, 13 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 42 runs scored in 88 games this season.
Just three of Guerrero’s home runs have come in 40 games at the Rogers Centre, leading many to wonder why a player with such innate talent has struggled to put it together in front of his home fans.
But if there’s such thing as a Home Run Derby curse — where a smooth-swinging slugger suddenly seems a little off after participating in the annual event, perhaps Guerrero can use the win as motivation to help with some of his woes at the plate.
“We gave all we had. It’s not easy,” Guerrero added. “Some people think it is easy, but swinging hard for three minutes, it’s going to take a lot from you… everybody who participated gave all they got to put on a show for everyone.”
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