Toronto Blue Jays star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is no stranger to the Home Run Derby. After a brief hiatus, Guerrero is ready to rejoin the festivities and prove his power isn't just for Blue Jays games.
Guerrero has officially committed to compete in the Home Run Derby, via Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. The first baseman said the Derby might actually help his swing and that he wouldn't mind a rematch with New York Mets star Pete Alonso. But at the end of the day, Guerrero is just excited to be competing again and ready to blast some bombs.
“I'm in it,” Guerrero said about the Derby.
He first competed in the Derby back in 2019 as a rookie. Guerrero hit a shocking 91 home runs, but eventually fell to Alonso in the finals. Still, Guerrero's 91 are still the most any player has ever hit in a Home Run Derby.
After two years off, Guerrero will look to claim his Home Run Derby crown. He currently has 11 through his first 78 games of the season. He is also hitting .280 with 49 home runs and three RBI.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr's prodigious power is no longer a secret. He was coming off of a 32-home run season entering the 2023 campaign and hit a career-high 48 long balls. The Derby is the perfect place for Guerrero to show off his swing.
The Blue Jays are currently 44-37, but sit 10.5 games back in the AL East. Toronto will hope that after a strong Home Run Derby performance, Guerrero comes back to the team ready to lead the Jays to the postseason.