The Toronto Blue Jays could have All-Star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. back in full-time action at some point during their three-game series that opens Monday night against the visiting Minnesota Twins.
Guerrero had not played since last Monday, when he left early with inflammation in his left hamstring after stretching for a throw in the loss at the Pittsburgh Pirates. He made his first appearance since then when he popped out as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning Sunday in a 5-3 loss at the Miami Marlins.
The Blue Jays finished the road trip 3-3.
Guerrero did not play in the field after pinch hitting, however, as manager John Schneider took a cautious approach.
“Going forward, I’d expect him to be back in there,” Schneider said. “We wanted the at-bat today, and we’re looking at the big picture with him. … We’re going to need him for the next 30-odd games down the stretch.”
Guerrero is batting .298 with 21 home runs and 69 RBIs.
“He’s a guy that makes us go,” said right-hander Kevin Gausman, who allowed four runs in six innings to take the loss on Sunday. “He is a pretty prominent guy in that box when he’s in there, so it was nice to see him get in there today.”
The Blue Jays, who won two of three from the Twins on June 6-8, are scheduled to start right-hander Max Scherzer (4-2, 3.60 ERA) on Monday. He is 9-2 with a 4.09 ERA in 112 1/3 innings over 18 career starts against the Twins but has not faced them since 2023.
The Twins are slated to start right-hander Joe Ryan (12-6, 2.96), who will go for his second victory of the season over the Blue Jays. Ryan allowed three runs (two earned) in five innings on June 8 when Minnesota beat them 6-3. He is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in 18 innings over three career starts against Toronto.
The Twins will be reacquainted with two former teammates — reliever Louis Varland and first baseman Ty France. The team unloaded several relievers at the trade deadline last month and sent Varland with France to Toronto for outfielder Alan Roden and left-handed-pitching prospect Kendry Rojas.
Roden is on the 60-day injured list with sprained left thumb after batting .158 with one home run in 12 games for the Twins, while France is batting .296 with five RBIs in 19 games with Toronto and has been filling in for Guerrero. Right-hander Varland has been struggling as a Blue Jay, with a 5.59 ERA in 10 appearances covering 9 2/3 innings.
The Blue Jays are 12-9 in August while the Twins are 8-14. The Twins lost to the Chicago White Sox 8-0 on Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game series that opened a six-game trip.
The Twins were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine on Sunday.
“I don’t think it’s possible to go that long with that many base runners in scoring position and out there and not bring any home,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We had guys on second base, guys on third base and couldn’t find a way to shoot one through and find some grass and get rolling.”
Twins rookie second baseman Luke Keaschall was 1-for-3 with a double and walk on Sunday and is batting .329 with two home runs and 13 RBIs in August.
–Field Level Media
