The Toronto Blue Jays can rest knowing they didn’t waste much needed money on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Because while he may not be playing at that elite level he will soon return to, what he is doing is showing the team and frankly the rest of the league how to be a leader.
“Once I wake up, I just can’t wait to get to the field to be with my teammates. It’s been unbelievable. It’s what any manager wants, a team like that and a culture like that,” Guerrero said through an interpreter, per Keegan Matheson.
This reminds me of a particular someone. One who was traded in a blockbuster move that was prompted after he was removed from the field and then asked to play first base and took that as an insult. One Rafael Devers. Vladdy moved to first base, without conflict, and is proving more why the Red Sox needed to rid themselves of Devers, even if it wasn’t a popular decision.
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Toronto Blue Jays, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remind Boston Red Sox of the headache this season has been
Devers should have handled everything better than he did. Things got rocky between him and Craig Breslow in the beginning of the season and instead of taking the high road, Devers pushed back and it threw a rift into the Red Sox season and ultimately led him to be traded. This is the leader the Red Sox needed all along.
The Blue Jays knew they needed to pay Guerrero if they wanted any shot of being competitive in October this century. When they paid him, it was largely because of how good of a player he is. Now we’re seeing the type of leader he is and why the Blue Jays can live through slumps Vladdy may endure through this next phase of his tenure.
This is probably what the Red Sox wanted out of Devers. But when he had a chance to prove he can be a leader on this team, he decided to do the exact opposite and now the Red Sox are even worse than they were when he was in Boston.
It’s insight into why some players receive these massive and historic contracts. They may be good players, but they’re good locker room leaders. The Blue Jays are at a crossroads right now with their season in flux and the postseason a distant achievement. But when you have players like Guerrero that can instill belief despite the teams’ shortcomings, it reminds you why you believed in them.