CHICAGO — When in doubt, let Vladimir Thunder be.
It’s not that simple, of course. John Schneider can’t write “Vladi” on the board, and the Dominican can’t stand at the plate at every turn in the lineup. But when Wladimir Guerrero Jr. was in his prime in 2021, it seemed that way. It seemed inevitable.
He’s starting to feel like the best players in baseball again. It contains Tuesday’s 4-3 win In Toronto on the White Sox, it was all Guerrero. The hitter brought the Blue Jays out of a slump that looked like a photocopy of their many losses this year.
Guerrero’s two-run homer last Thursday against the Giants at Rogers Center looked just like the opposite field hit. The Dominican has that game-defining ability, and with four home runs in his last 10 games, Guerrero finally seems to be finding the power that made him popular in the game.
“Vladi is dangerous with speed,” Schneider said. “Everybody knows that. He’s good. He’s got good turns. Vlady’s in a good moment; I like that. If we can keep that going, it’s going to do wonders for our team.”
Schneider always defines “clutch” as being able to do what you always do, even in the most critical moments. In the past, when Guerrero was in the midst of those “moments,” he seemed to have the ability to slow down the game.
“For me, all the turns are important, but especially the ones in the final part of the games,” Guerrero said. “I mentally prepare myself for occasions like tonight. That’s what I do. Thank God, things are going well for me; Let’s hope they continue like this.”
