TORONTO – Hours after Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier spilled his retirement plans, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is letting the baseball world know he has no plans to end his current hot streak.
Guerrero hit his fifth home run in his last six games, driving in another run in the Blue Jays’ 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.
“I would say it’s been really good and I’m not done yet,” Guerrero said when asked if the past two weeks have been the best of his career.
Guerrero, 25, agreed that he’s been at his best lately. He’s been patient at the plate, waiting for pitches, and his confidence is at an all-time high.
“It’s starting to work for me now,” he said. “I’m hitting the ball hard and connecting. I’m finding the right pitch right now. I think that’s the big difference.”
Guerrero is hitting .351 (34-for-97) with nine doubles, 10 home runs and 31 RBIs in his last 24 games.
“He feels very dangerous at every plate appearance,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “A lot of it is about how you pitch Vlad.
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“He’s starting to figure out how to focus on the pitches he can really hit.”
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Kiermaier, 34, hasn’t had the explosive offensive output of his Blue Jays teammates, but he’s been a defensive gem, winning four Gold Gloves.
Before the game, the former Rays outfielder spoke to the Tampa Bay Times, and the last question he was asked was about his future.
“I was just being honest,” Kiermaier said. “Some people might be surprised, but I’m happy with my decision. My body is speaking to me more than ever this season.”
Kiermaier said playing 10 seasons on artificial turf in Tampa and Toronto took its toll on him.
Before joining the Blue Jays last season, he was a thorn in Toronto’s side because of his defense and speed.
“When you watch him play on the other side, he’s a guy that’s easy to hate,” Schneider said. “He was really annoying.
“Having known him in the clubhouse over the past year and a half as a player, husband and father, he’s the ultimate professional. He’s meant a lot to this group. He’s probably one of the best center fielders of the last 10 years.”
Kiermaier and his wife are expecting their third child, a girl, in December.
After the Rays intentionally walked Guerrero to put runners on first and second, back-to-back two-out RBI singles by Justin Turner and Dalton Bashaw were enough to put up four runs in the eighth.
The Blue Jays’ (46-55) win ended their three-game series with Tampa Bay (51-51) with one win each.
The Blue Jays won their second game in five games after the MLB All-Star break in front of 32,276 fans at Rogers Centre.
The Rays’ final run came in the bottom of the ninth on a double by Ben Rotvedt.
Toronto starter Yariel Rodriguez retired the Rays’ first 12 batters in a row. Randy Arozarena broke the no-hitter in the fifth with a leadoff double down the right-field line.
He scored on a single from Josh Lowe that went under the glove of a diving Guerrero.
The 27-year-old rookie struck out six over 5 2/3 innings and allowed one run on two hits and a walk, the walk to Rich Palacios that set up the game-tying run in the sixth.
Left-handed reliever Brendan Little also walked Brandon Lowe with two outs. Arozarena singled to left to get Palacios out.
Blue Jays reliever Genesis Cabrera (3-2) earned the win with two strikeouts in the eighth.
Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin also pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out four.
On deck
Chris Bassitt (8-8) is scheduled to start for the Blue Jays in the final game of a three-game set against Tampa on Thursday afternoon. The Rays will face right-hander Taj Bradley (5-4).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 24, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
