Vladimir Guerrero Jr. just cemented himself as the Yankees villain for the next decade

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is public enemy No. 1 in the Bronx, and that fact won't change anytime soon.
Division Series - Toronto Blue Jays v New York Yankees - Game Four
Division Series - Toronto Blue Jays v New York Yankees - Game Four | Al Bello/GettyImages

The Toronto Blue Jays enjoyed a magical 2025 regular season, but it looked like their magic could run out very quickly with a tough matchup against a formidable New York Yankees team in the ALDS. Well, it goes without saying that this Blue Jays team that hadn't won a postseason game in nearly a decade wasn't scared of the big, bad Bronx Bombers. In fact, they discarded them in relatively easy fashion.

The Jays won the best-of-five series in four games, and if it weren't for an uncharacteristic collapse in Game 3, they would've swept the Yankees. Just about everyone wearing a Blue Jays uniform stepped up, but nobody impressed more than Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who utterly dominated New York at the plate.

Guerrero is the biggest reason why the Jays advanced, and he rubbed salt in the fresh wounds of Yankees fans after Toronto clinched their series win in the best possible way (for Yankees haters).

This is a real clip. Guerrero stole David Ortiz's patented "Daaaa Yankees lose" while getting doused with champagne in the Yankee Stadium clubhouse. He said it with a smile on his face and repeated it several times, interspersed with laughter. Guerrero tormenting the Yankees on the field is one thing, but doing so off of it is another. He's made himself not only a Yankees villain, but the Yankees villain, for the next decade plus.

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Vladimir Guerrero established himself as the next great Yankees villain

Ortiz dominated the Yankees both on and off the field for over a decade, so it's only fitting to see another AL East superstar, Guerrero, follow in his footsteps. Guerrero was a villain of sorts even before this series, as he had always played well against New York and made it abundantly clear just how much he hated that franchise, but he took his villain status to a new level in the ALDS.

Guerrero went 9-for-17 with three home runs and nine RBI in four games against the Yankees. He averaged over two hits and two RBI per game in this series, and went yard in three of the four contests. He got the series off to a roaring start with a home run in Game 1, and then provided the keynote of the matchup by launching a back-breaking grand slam in Game 2. Aaron Judge was great, but Guerrero, somehow, was even better.

Ortiz's rivalry with the Yankees wouldn't have been nearly as prominent had he not come through against New York in October. Guerrero doing so in his first chance against the Yankees is a sign of what's to come.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. isn't going anywhere for a long time

The worst part about this for Yankees fans is that he isn't going anywhere anytime soon. This felt like Guerrero's last season in Toronto when the campaign began, but shortly before spring training, he inked a 15-year, $500 million extension to remain with the Blue Jays almost certainly for the remainder of his career. Even if the Jays wanted to trade Guerrero, he has a full no-trade clause, making a deal unlikely.

Many thought the extension was an overpay, but moments like these show why the Jays were eager to get the deal done no matter the cost. Superstars show up when needed most, and Guerrero did even more than show up — he had a series for the ages.

As long as the Blue Jays and Yankees remain division rivals, they'll see each other 13 times each regular season. I have a feeling we'll see several postseason series between these two clubs as well. Guerrero will play a crucial role in everything for over a decade. That's something that Yankees fans will reluctantly have to accept.