Even some 390 kilometres away, you could almost hear the giant sigh of relief as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. finally got his game back. It is no secret that Guerrero has been in a struggle at the plate. Earlier in the year, he was still getting on base with singles and taking his walks, so the average was there, just not the expected thump. More recently, perhaps as he pressed to get that power back, even the on-base has disappeared.
It got so troubling that Jays manager John Schneider made the rare move Sunday to move Guerrero's big bat into the No. 2 hole, just hoping to change things up for his troubled slugger. Guerrero responded immediately, launching his first homer since April 20 and just his third of the year to put the Jays up early on their way to a 4-1 win and a 2-1 series win in Detroit. Not surprisingly, given Guerrero's importance to this team, this one was celebrated a little more than any other first-inning home run in recent regular-season history. Guerrero was noticeably elated and when he finally made his way around the bases, his teammates waiting for him were noticeably amped.
A lot of that was about finally seeing their slugger slug, not that anyone thought Guerrero was all of a sudden going to be a singles slap hitter. But it was also the timing of the blow with the Jays' offence overall in a bit of a slumber. Yes, Guerrero was the most concerning, with just six hits in the month of May and just a week left before a calendar turn. But there was also George Springer, a guy who has not had much luck when it comes to injuries already this year but has struggled through May with just a single extra-base hit and a single RBI while hitting just .143 for the month.
Kazuma Okamoto had been almost singled-handedly keeping this team afloat offensively, but with just six hits in his last nine games the Jays decided fatigue was becoming a factor and sat the third baseman out of Sunday's game. Springer also got the day off, meaning the timing of Guerrero's power surge could not have been timelier. No one expects the Jays can make the kind of run they made a year ago without Vladdy doing Vladdy-type things, and by that we mean driving the ball with power and preferably with enough out of the park that the confidence we saw last postseason becomes his normal again.
It also does not hurt that the Jays get this moment just as they are headed to Yankee Stadium where Guerrero is known to enjoy hitting … a lot.
Gausman in control
Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease have been two of the only consistent things about this Blue Jays team and Gausman was once again Mr. Dependable in Detroit. Granted, his last outing was easily his worst, giving up six earned runs in just 4 2/3 innings against a tough Tampa lineup, so Sunday's effort was a little bit more relief on a day of relief for the Jays. Gausman was back to his norm in this one, going six strong innings and allowing just four hits while striking out five as he improved to 3-3 on the year. Gausman's most dependable characteristic this season has been his stinginess with the walks. And Sunday, he did not allow any, leaving his season total at just nine. It was not the kind of exhalation of breath in terms of relief that Guerrero's home run provided, but it was a bit of relief all the same.
Roster moves
The day was not a complete relief. Before the game, the Jays lost, at least temporarily, the services of one of their bigger workhorses out of their bullpen in Tommy Nance. Nance was placed on the injured list with a forearm issue. As such, Canadian Adam Macko joined the team for his first taste of the big leagues. Macko, who was part of Canada's roster at the World Baseball Classic, appeared in 13 games with triple-A Buffalo. He arrives with a 4.50 ERA in those minor league appearances. Macko was part of the Teoscar Hernandez trade way back in 2022. Nance made 20 appearances with Toronto before the forearm tightness became too much to pitch with.
In a move that occurred while the Jays were playing, the team officially parted ways with left-hander Eric Lauer. The lefty, who was such a big part of last year's success but never managed to get going this year, was designated for assignment earlier in the week and Sunday the Jays sent him to the Dodgers along with cash considerations. The return will be a player to be named later or cash considerations.
Rodriguez has picked up some velocity
Yariel Rodriguez, the Cuban right-hander who was up and down with the Jays last season never really finding a consistent role, made his second appearance in a Jays uniform this year on Sunday and showed a little more pop than he had last season. Rodriguez hit 98 mph on the gun in a first clean inning and then gave up a single before he was pulled for a left-hander. Joe Mantiply came on and eventually let that hit come around to score, which meant Rodriguez was charged with a run, but that 98 stuck out as a bit of a revelation on the day.
Quick hits
Speaking of struggling Blue Jays and finding some relief in Detroit, versatile infielder/outfielder Davis Schneider has quietly been having his struggles as well this year. We say quietly because as a reserve his struggles are not quite so amplified. But the stats do not lie and Schneider has just two hits since April 14, so the single to left in the seventh on Sunday was another feel-good moment of the day. With a big four-game series looming against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium beginning Monday and with the bullpen a little gassed from a lot of usage, the Jays' relief corps was a little different on Sunday. Brought in to help close out a 4-1 lead in the ninth was submariner Tyler Rogers. Rogers walked the first hitter he faced but locked down his first save as a Blue Jay and 20th of his career, getting the next three in order.
