"That's inexcusable": Blue Jays manager calls out Guerrero's effort after loss
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider didn’t sugarcoat Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s baserunning blunder in a 5-2 loss against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.
Guerrero was thrown out at second base on a towering drive to the outfield after the slugger was a little lethargic in giddying-up out of the batter’s box in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Yankees led the Blue Jays 5-1 at the time of the at-bat, which scored George Springer to pull Toronto to within three.
“Vladdy flat-out needs to run harder,” Schneider told reporters postgame, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. “That’s inexcusable. I’ll tell him that when I see him later tonight. We’re at the point where every little thing matters, every 90 feet matters, (and) it should matter every day of the season.
“He’s still young, he’ll be fine … but you’ve got to leave no margin for error.”
Replay of the Guerrero out of the box that led to the final out at 2nd#Yankees 5 #BlueJays 2 🔺7th pic.twitter.com/DPkbnMSOx0
— Sᴘᴏʀᴛs 24/7 (@Sports_24x7_) September 28, 2022
So close Vladdy!! So close pic.twitter.com/0Xp8arZlrO
— The Short Porch (@short_porch) September 28, 2022
Schneider, who is serving as interim manager of the Blue Jays after the club fired skipper Charlie Montoyo in July, said he’d speak to Guerrero postgame.
The Yankees win clinches the American League East for the New York Club. Toronto, second in the division, holds the American League’s top wild-card spot with an 87-68 record and seven games remaining.
Guerrero is batting .276 with 30 home runs and 91 RBIs over 153 games this season.