Missing WBC is tough, but caution makes sense for Guerrero Jr. and Blue Jays

Baseball

Published 04.03.2023

Missing WBC is tough, but caution makes sense for Guerrero Jr. and Blue Jays

DUNEDIN, Fla. – No one wins right here.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. misses the prospect to play for his residence nation within the World Baseball Classic; the Blue Jays should navigate subsequent steps for Guerrero Jr. now that proper knee irritation has interrupted his spring; and Major League Baseball loses the prospect to showcase certainly one of its brightest younger stars at an occasion supposed to develop the sport globally.

Yet if there was any actual query as to the well being of Guerrero Jr.’s knee, the choice he made to drag himself out of the WBC was the appropriate one. He’s just too essential to the crew’s 2023 probabilities to danger aggravating what the Blue Jays are describing as minor irritation with no structural issues.

The bother started Friday afternoon when Guerrero Jr. superior to second base following an RBI single within the Blue Jays’ Grapefruit League sport towards the Rays. He initially stayed within the sport and scored, however quickly exited for defensive substitute Rainer Nunez. After the sport, the Blue Jays took an MRI to evaluate the state of his knee.

While the Blue Jays performed in Lakeland, Fla. Saturday, Guerrero Jr. was slated to take batting apply on the crew’s Dunedin, Fla. facility. But Guerrero Jr. didn’t hit alongside his teammates on the participant growth advanced, getting therapy as an alternative with out addressing the media.

“At this stage in camp we’re being ultra-cautious,” supervisor John Schneider instructed reporters in Lakeland. “He felt a little better today than he did yesterday, so we’re taking it one day at a time.”

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With opening day nonetheless three and a half weeks away, there’s loads of room for Guerrero Jr. to get well in time for the season. To this level, there’s been no indication that the Blue Jays consider the 23-year-old should miss vital time.

But even so, managing Guerrero Jr.’s restoration in Dunedin, Fla. is far completely different than handing him over to the Dominican Republic crew and hoping for the most effective. After all, the WBC may be an intensely aggressive atmosphere – one by which gamers might push themselves to max effort. When gamers are totally wholesome, that’s a danger groups settle for. But as soon as a well being query emerges, the chance begins to exceed the reward. In this case, Guerrero Jr. made the choice for the Blue Jays by deciding to withdraw.

A associated line of considering additionally utilized to Alejandro Kirk, who had been slated to play for Mexico within the WBC till the start of his daughter delayed his arrival to spring coaching. At a sure level, the Blue Jays have to do what’s finest for his or her crew even when it means setting apart the expansion of the game as an entire.

Under these circumstances, the dream WBC lineups usually pale compared to the fact of who’s out there to play. At this level, Otto Lopez (Canada) and Jose Berrios (Puerto Rico) are the one Blue Jays collaborating within the event, with Berrios slated to depart following his look in Sunday’s sport.

Best-case situation for the Blue Jays would see Guerrero Jr. ease again into the lineup in loads of time to organize for the crew’s March 30 season opener in St. Louis. By all accounts, that’s the expectation.

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But with Guerrero Jr. briefly sidelined, it’s value taking inventory of the crew’s alternate options at first base. Next on the depth chart can be Brandon Belt, who has been working behind the scenes doing infield work, taking batting apply and operating as he will get again into baseball form following a knee damage of his personal.

“I feel really good right now physically,” Belt said. “I’m just in the process of building my body up to get ready for games. And as far as the overall health of my body, it’s good right now.”

The 34-year-old could also be every week or so from entering into video games, however he expects two weeks of spring competitors to be greater than sufficient. Beyond Belt, there’s additionally Cavan Biggio, who’s anticipated to separate time between first, second and proper area in 2023.

Of course these contingency plans is probably not wanted any time quickly. In his three full big-league seasons, Guerrero Jr. has missed a complete of three video games. Ideally, some warning now would set him up for one more full workload when it counts probably the most.