Toronto Blue Jays: Where did the extra-base hits go for Vlad Jr.?

On Friday night, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays saw his 15-game hitting streak snapped with an 0-for-4 performance against the Cincinnati Reds. While Guerrero Jr. has been getting his hits, there has been an interesting drop in the number of extra-base hits he has posted over the last month of play.

Where did all of the extra-base hits go for Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr.?

During that 15-game hitting streak, the Toronto Blue Jays first baseman went 16-for-54 (.296 batting average) with a pair of doubles and a home run, posting a .406 on base percentage and .795 OPS during the streak. However, those two doubles came in one game (May 3 against the New York Yankees) and the home run came two days later at the Cleveland Guardians. Over the next 12 games, Guerrero Jr. did not post an extra-base hit.

It’s an interesting trend for the 23-year-old Blue Jays star who finished second in American League Most Valuable Player voting last season after hitting 29 doubles, 48 home runs, and posting a .601 slugging percentage and 1.002 OPS. Since touching a .900 slugging percentage on April 15 after the eighth game of the season, Guerrero Jr. has hit just three doubles (including those two in the one contest against the Yankees), no triples, and two home runs, resulting in his slugging percentage dropping all the way to .457 after Friday night.

Heading into the season, there was plenty of talk about Toronto’s potentially potent offense. However, the Blue Jays have scored just 142 runs on the season, just three more than the Baltimore Orioles (who sit in the bottom of the American League East) and 45 behind the division-leading Yankees.

Sure, it’s early and it’s likely just an extended extra-base slump for Guerrero Jr. However, the Blue Jays certainly need his power in the middle of the lineup to help kickstart an offense that has plenty of possibilities to help Toronto play meaningful baseball in October.