OCCUPYING HIS workspace at Dodger Stadium in January, Andrew Friedman is observing footage of the concluding half-inning of the 2025 World Series. As he commences to recount the play-by-play for a caller, it seems he’s re-experiencing a calamity narrowly averted.
The Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations commences, relaying starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s ball-strike count: “Cutter just off the plate, 1-0. He yanks a splitter, 2-0. He delivers a cutter, 2-1. Then he locates an outside fastball, 2-2. He approaches with a split, 3-2.”
Friedman, observing the footage, then states: “Then, 97 miles per hour, a two-seam fastball that moves high and inward, off the plate.”
Friedman is illustrating a delivery that’s nearly unhittable at such speed — far inward, beyond the plate, where swings invariably falter. Two inches outside the strike zone, yet Vladimir Guerrero Jr. connected with it for a two-bagger down the line during an October surge that solidified his standing as one of the league’s premier emerging athletes.
Friedman remarks, “That was all very apt for him in this series. That particular at-bat was remarkable.”
Despite Guerrero being marooned at third as his Toronto Blue Jays were defeated in the World Series, it couldn’t diminish all that he achieved last October. He crushed eight home runs in 18 games, along with five doubles and a .397 batting average — merely a handful of the absurd statistics he generated.
Just one individual in history, Randy Arozarena in 2020, recorded more long balls in a single postseason. Only eight players have ever hit four or more homers that provided their squad with an advantage in postseason history — and Guerrero notched three last October.
Nevertheless, these statistics hardly encompass how Guerrero blossomed last October, evolving from a young star into something far more significant. This magnified industry admiration for his unparalleled batting prowess, his versatile performance, and the unexpectedly outgoing approach with which he steered, propelled, and led the Jays through the final inning of Game 7.
Jays teammate George Springer stated: “Likely the finest six weeks of focus, exertion, and demeanor. That embodies [Guerrero]. He possesses the capacity to accomplish feats others cannot. I’ve told him — I believe he’s just starting to scratch the surface of how good he’s going to be.”
Guerrero has always had perpetual faith in himself, in his capability to alter a match. However, in those recent weeks, he perhaps assimilated a fresh insight: During moments of intense pressure, facing the elite, he performs optimally. If his playoff run serves as a benchmark, this revelation could propel him into the 2026 season.
GUERRERO’S OCTOBER SPLENDOR was even more remarkable due to his disappointing conclusion to the 2025 season. Blue Jays manager John Schneider observed, “People forget how he was struggling in the final games of the regular season. Base hits were hard to come by.”
Guerrero was without a long ball over his final 21 contests in September, batting merely .203 after the 9th. Toronto secured the tie-breaking advantage over the New York Yankees to claim the American League East championship and an initial playoff exemption. This afforded Guerrero and the Jays an opportunity to recuperate and practice as they anticipated the victor of the Yankees and Boston Red Sox’s wild-card series.
During one of those days in the Rogers Centre practice tunnels, Guerrero pronounced a declaration to Hector Lebron. Lebron, an ex-minor leaguer, functions as a translator for the Jays and a mentor of sorts for their star power hitter.
He stated, “During the postseason, I don’t want to discuss batting. Nothing about technique, nothing about modifications. I’m simply going to observe the ball and strike it forcefully.”
Guerrero reminisced, “When you have numerous thoughts on your mind, you start heeding many individuals, and you can encounter difficulties. I told [Lebron]: ‘Don’t talk to me about anything. Just allow me to perform, and I’m going to handle my affairs.'”
October is a period when numerous prominent power hitters encounter challenges. Elite hurlers deliver the majority of frames and frequently neutralize even the premier batters. Barry Bonds batted .196 with a single homer in his initial five playoff series. Alex Rodriguez performed under such immense pressure that, at one point, Yankees manager Joe Torre eventually demoted him to eighth in the lineup.
However, even prior to the previous year’s playoffs, Guerrero’s past experiences had demonstrated his capability of hitting superior hurlers. In 2022, he confronted the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole — classic Cole — and after launching two long balls, Guerrero slammed a two-bagger into the right-field corner. Perplexed, Cole tipped his cap, acknowledging the then-23-year-old’s skill.
Dan Shulman, the Jays’ veteran commentator, stated, “I believe that when [Guerrero] is performing optimally, he connects with effective pitching more proficiently than anyone.”
Guerrero demonstrated this in the very first inning of Game 1 of the ALDS. He launched his inaugural long ball in nearly a month, sending it far into left field off Luis Gil. Returning to the dugout, he pulled on the Jays’ home run jacket he helped make fashionable. It was as if Guerrero had fired a starting gun: He recorded two additional base hits in Toronto’s 10-1 victory, and the subsequent day, he smashed a fourth-inning bases-loaded homer to provide the Jays with a substantial 11-1 advantage.
Shulman recalled, “The Jays had secured the division, but these were the Yankees. And Toronto decisively defeated them in the division series — primarily owing to Guerrero’s 9-for-17, three-long-ball, nine-RBI showing.”
Don Mattingly, the Jays’ previous year’s bench coach, stated, “Once hitters like [Guerrero] establish a rhythm, it’s concluded.”
Guerrero has always been recognized as a self-assured athlete. Mattingly remarked, “He’s convinced he can accomplish anything, but his conviction appeared to intensify in the postseason to where he realized he could influence the match each time he stepped up to bat.”
Lebron commented, “I’ve never seen an individual perform without apprehension like that. Absence of stress.”
After the Jays conceded Games 1 and 2 of the ALCS at their home field to Seattle, they trailed in Game 3 in Seattle, suggesting a potential Mariners clean sweep. However, Toronto regrouped for five runs in the third inning, with Guerrero smashing a two-bagger amidst the surge and launching a long ball in his subsequent plate appearance, for altogether four hits. He had an additional homer the following day as Toronto evened the series 2-2 with consecutive victories. In Game 6, with the Jays confronting elimination, Guerrero hit another home run — yet again.
In a post-game interview on the field, he was inquired if he felt prepared for Game 7. The assembled spectators at Rogers Centre erupted, and he hesitated, smirking. He tarried for five seconds. Ten seconds. Twenty seconds. “You inquired if I am prepared,” he uttered. “I came into this world prepared. I came into this world prepared.”
SCHNEIDER HAS BEEN ACQUAINTED with Guerrero for a considerable duration — they progressed through the ranks collaboratively through
Toronto’s organization. Schneider oversaw the minor league squads where Guerrero competed subsequent to his signing as an international free agent by the Blue Jays in 2015, and Schneider’s elevation to the major league club occurred the same year Guerrero made his MLB inaugural appearance in 2019. Subsequent to that shared history, Schneider had perceived another alteration in his renowned power hitter during the recent postseason.
“You could observe a subtly different Vladimir,” Schneider stated. “Simply in the manner he was moving, strolling, conversing. At that juncture, his focus was exclusively on triumphing … He was so intensely concentrated — his groundwork, his meticulousness … It seemed as though with each subsequent round, he grew a little more determined, and then even *more* determined. And he demonstrated this across every facet of the game.”
Shulman, who narrated the Blue Jays’ entire postseason journey for Sportsnet, mentioned that commentators unfamiliar with observing Guerrero play extensively in person conveyed astonishment at the vigor with which he sprinted the bases, and his adeptness at first base.
“Vladdy progressed considerably defensively for me,” Mattingly commented. “He possesses excellent dexterity, and given the [physical condition] he’s maintained over the last two years, he’s significantly more agile on his feet and in his movements. He exhibits no hesitation in executing plays.”
That defensive mastery was prominently displayed during a pivotal sequence in Game 4 of the World Series. The Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernandez was stationed at second base when Enrique Hernandez chopped a ground ball into the first-base gap. Jays shortstop Andres Gimenez corralled the ball and attempted to throw to first, but Guerrero — realizing Gimenez’s throw would be belated — sprinted towards the ball, covering 7 or 8 feet in the direction of second base. He backhanded a short hop at waist height and, resembling a cricket bowler with an overhand throwing motion, unleashed the ball at 87.6 mph to retire Hernandez at third. Hernandez popped up from his slide and glanced around with disbelief as Jays third baseman Ernie Clement gestured towards Guerrero. On the Fox broadcast, John Smoltz inquired, “May I just utter ‘wow’ regarding everything that just transpired?”
Guerrero evoked similar reactions from those on the field, as well. At one juncture, Freddie Freeman turned to him and pleaded, “Would you kindly cease hitting?”
He would not. He launched a home run off Blake Snell in the initial inning of Game 5; he would conclude the postseason with more long balls (eight) than strikeouts (seven).
By the third inning of Game 7, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had witnessed enough of Guerrero’s swings, and with a runner on third base in the third inning, he commanded an intentional walk for the formidable hitter. Months later, Roberts recollected how Guerrero had turned towards the subsequent batter, Bo Bichette, and shouted encouragement to him — just prior to Bichette slamming a three-run homer to give Toronto the advantage.
“The sentiment you observed from him was entirely heartfelt, authentic, and that was unifying for that squad — he brings David Ortiz to mind,” Roberts asserted. “Evidently, he’s an extraordinarily gifted player, but one of the aspects the postseason highlighted in him in the most positive manner was his dedication to doing everything conceivable to secure a victory.”
A few innings subsequently, as Guerrero advanced to the plate against Yamamoto for that legendary at-bat in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 7, he gazed out at the pitching mound and acknowledged the pitcher with a nod. Yamamoto elevated his right index finger and touched the brim of his cap, saluting Guerrero — a moment Guerrero states he’ll forever cherish in “my memory and in my spirit.” Excellence recognizing excellence.
After the Fall Classic concluded, Friedman encountered Guerrero’s agent, Barry Praver. “I cannot recall witnessing a player on the opposing side whose yearning for victory was so tangible,” Friedman conveyed to the agent. “Observing his at-bats, watching him in the dugout, alongside his teammates, it seemed profoundly significant to him.”
The change in perspective, Lebron believes, altered everything for Guerrero. “It wasn’t about statistics,” Lebron commented. “It became about guiding the team to a championship.”
WHEN ANY 20-YEAR-OLD enters a major league clubhouse for the inaugural time — even a prospect as highly lauded as Guerrero was when he joined the Blue Jays in 2019 — he isn’t instantly granted prominence among teammates; a clubhouse leader is cultivated over duration, as confidence and esteem gradually manifest, as choices are made and associations develop.
By the conclusion of CC Sabathia’s career, he was recognized as one of the finest leaders of his generation, but he recounted to ESPN an instance early in his fifth season with Cleveland when he was contending with a persistent hamstring issue, fielding inquiries about his ability to pitch. Alex Cora, a utility infielder with Cleveland at the time, confronted Sabathia. “These individuals are looking to you,” Cora informed Sabathia. “These individuals require your presence.” The words resonated with Sabathia perpetually, implanting an awareness of his duty to the collective.
It’s a responsibility that Aaron Judge comprehends thoroughly: “You never truly discern when that moment arrives. It simply kind of materializes. It genuinely revolves around what the team necessitates — I am here to assist the team. Whenever there’s an emptiness, whenever there’s a requirement, I am here to fulfill it.”
Even when it transpires before a player might feel prepared, Judge added. “The paramount aspect is: Do not recoil from it,” he stated. “Simply embrace it. Many players find it challenging to accept that, because they perceive themselves as still being the young individual.”
Beneath his sparse beard, Guerrero exhibits delicate features, a rounded countenance with a mild, inviting expression and gaze. He is an understated conversationalist, whether in his primary language, Spanish, or in English. Whatever constitutes loudness, he is its antithesis. He has also been immersed in baseball and clubhouses his entire existence. As the offspring of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr., he possesses experiences that his teammates have not had, an insight into the game few could ever attain and a capacity to strike a baseball that few will ever achieve. The agreement he signed last spring, for $500 million, is one of the highest ever, guaranteeing that he’ll likely serve as the emblem of Toronto’s franchise well into the forthcoming decade. The permanence of his contract extending into the future, others within the organization believe, solidified his standing with the Blue Jays.
Guerrero asserts he has never regarded himself as a leader. “I merely go and play and execute my role at 100%,” he declared.
He then paused, and smiled, stating, “That’s why I have George.”
Referring to Springer, the seasoned outfielder who inked a deal with the Blue Jays prior to the 2021 season. Guerrero states the two most effective leaders he has played alongside are Teoscar Hernandez — “He’s like kin to me,” Guerrero mentioned — and Springer, who has assisted him in learning about preparation, consistency, and dialogue. “If I needed to articulate something, I would approach George,” Guerrero explained, “especially since he could converse in English more fluently than me. Sometimes, when I needed to express something, I became a little self-conscious.”
Springer understands a thing or two about discovering his voice; throughout his life, he has overcome a stutter, aiding youngsters who share the same challenge. As Guerrero’s teammate, Springer has encouraged him to communicate.
“When he speaks, many players will pay attention — everyone
will,” remarked Springer. “He appears disinclined to undertake it, for reasons unknown, yet I believe that when he does, and you listen to his voice, it truly creates an electrifying sensation. It fosters a sense of shared purpose and solidarity.”
By early September, seasoned hurler Kevin Gausman observed Guerrero becoming more articulate, appearing to possess greater assurance in his own utterances. Indeed, in a dual linguistic capacity. Toward the season’s conclusion, Lebron prompted Guerrero and backstop Alejandro Kirk to engage in interviews independently with English-speaking media. Guerrero followed this practice across the entire postseason, even conversing with ESPN in English for the purposes of this narrative.
Prior to the concluding ALCS match, after the rosters were declared and the national anthem performed, Schneider remembered the Jays’ dugout being hushed. Guerrero then exclaimed audibly—with sufficient volume for all present to apprehend—”Listen, if anyone feels apprehension, simply observe me.” He reiterated this mantra throughout the contest, and subsequent to the Jays’ triumph, extending it through the World Series: Should anyone feel anxious, direct your gaze towards me.
Schneider recounts, “He was completely immersed in a state of optimal performance, embodying the resolve to ‘step onto the field and perform to my utmost capability,’ and this momentum simply persisted from one game to the next.”
“It was merely a question of timing,” Judge commented regarding Guerrero’s playoff showing. “A phenomenal aptitude. He elicits the utmost from his teammates, and that perfectly embodies the essence of an authentic leader. I observed those around him elevating their play to correspond with his. Such minor instances reveal a discernible alteration in vigor.”
No grounds exist to presume that the ascendancy Guerrero displayed in October will diminish in the 2026 season. While the World Baseball Classic inherently presents a limited data set, Guerrero sustained his achievements in that competition this spring, achieving a .444 batting average with eight base hits—comprising three two-baggers and two long balls—across 18 plate appearances for the Dominican Republic. Furthermore, he delivered another memorable instance. He occupied first base when Junior Caminero drove a baseball into the left-field extremity. Guerrero sprinted past third and, guided by a signal from fellow player Julio Rodriguez, launched himself into the air, executing a dive from the foul ground near third base towards home plate, thereby registering a point.
An athletic paragon.
“His mind is unburdened presently,” Lebron stated. “He comprehends his capabilities in the World Series, he understands how to enhance the performance of his fellow players. …
“The pinnacle of Vladdy’s potential remains undiscovered.”