Toronto Blue Jays hoping to jumpstart Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. took the step that everyone had been waiting for. The Toronto Blue Jays first baseman had dedicated to getting himself into shape during the offseason, leading to what has been one of the more impressive showings in the majors this season. However, he has been in a slump since the calendar turned to August.

The Blue Jays are not just going to wait. Manager Charlie Montoyo has taken action by moving Guerrero down in the lineup – dropping him one spot from second to third.

Toronto Blue Jays not panicking about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Clearly, there is a great deal of gnashing of teeth and many sleepless nights over Guerrero’s recent slump. Drastic measures needed to be taken, including dropping Guerrero in the order. That one spot may be severe, but it is something that needed to be done.

All sarcasm aside, this move does create a drastic change to the lineup. While Guerrero had struggled recently, George Springer had been on fire. He continued launching homers on Wednesday, belting his 15th of the season, so moving Guerrero down in the lineup has not had an effect on his production thus far.

Even with this slump, Guerrero has been one of the best players in the American League. He has a viable chance at the Triple Crown, leading the league in RBI while ranking fourth in batting average and second in homers. A hot stretch could launch him back up the leaderboards.

The Blue Jays also need him to get going once more. They have upgraded their roster in an attempt to reach the postseason, drastically improving the pitching staff. But the offense remains the key to their playoff hopes, which means that Guerrero needs to get going soon.

The Toronto Blue Jays have moved Vladimir Guerrero Jr. down in the lineup. While it is a temporary measure, they hope it will jumpstart his bat.