LOS ANGELES — His face by no means modified. Stoicism consumed him. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would not chase moments. He would not chase reward. Even after dismantling Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers in Recreation 4 of the World Collection, Guerrero did not flinch. No smile. No celebration. Simply the usual.
“For me, it is one recreation,” Guerrero stated by means of a crew translator following the Blue Jays‘ 6-2 win over the Dodgers that evened the 2025 Fall Basic at 2-2. “I imply the sequence It is not over but. I imply that is the primary one to win 4 video games.”
Guerrero would not care concerning the highlight. However he would not run from it, both. He is aware of the funding that Toronto made by making him the face of the franchise along with his profitable deal that may pay him $500 million by means of 2039. He is aware of that George Springer‘s indirect damage may cost a little him the remainder of this sequence. He understands and welcomes the load of carrying a rustic and a corporation that hasn’t seen a World Collection in over three many years.
And Guerrero is carrying it mightily.
That is why when Ohtani struck him out on three pitches within the first inning — ending him with a sweeper within the grime, Guerrero by no means blinked. He by no means questioned whether or not he’d get to Ohtani. Similar to the Dodgers’ unicorn, Guerrero is a superhero in his personal proper. Hitting is who he’s. Competing is what he does.
So when Ohtani went again to the sweeper within the third inning on a 2-1 rely, he left it up. It did not break — it simply spun. Guerrero launched it for a two-run shot. A refined bat flip adopted. Then a not-so-subtle roar towards his teammates, demanding they observe his lead. Toronto obtained to Ohtani for six hits and 4 runs over six innings.
“He is unbelievable,” Jays infielder Ernie Clement stated of Guerrero after Recreation 4. “He is an enormous spark tonight with that, that homer, and he simply continues to amaze us. It was superior to see him have that second. He simply retains doing it. It is throughout 50-60 at-bats at this level the place he is … he is simply been not possible to get out. It is why we’re at the place we’re at.”
Ohtani has definitely had his moments. In Recreation 3 of the NLCS in opposition to the Brewers, he threw six scoreless innings, struck out 10, and hit three homers. He is reached heights nobody has dared to fathom, reaching base 9 instances in a endless Recreation 3 of this sequence with two doubles, two homers and 5 walks. However Ohtani has had some chilly stretches this postseason. Guerrero has not. Guerrero has been the fixed.
This October, Guerrero is hitting .419/.500/.806 with seven homers — making him the Blue Jays’ all-time postseason chief within the class. He is made you concentrate. Not simply along with his bat. However along with his glove, and along with his baserunning, an underrated a part of his recreation.
Take Monday’s Recreation 3 for example. Although Toronto misplaced, Guerrero’s expertise was on full show. Bo Bichette softly hit a grounder towards second baseman Tommy Edman that went underneath his glove. However take a look at Guerrero, peeking at the place the ball is, noticing it and instantly sprinting to 3rd.
He wound up scoring in that body.
Within the sixth, with the sport tied, Kiké Hernández hit a grounder within the gap to Andrés Giménez. Giménez obtained to it, however his lengthy throw on an extended hop did not beat Hernández to the bag. Teoscar Hernández superior to second and tried for third. Guerrero noticed the throw was off-target, got here off the bag, and fired a one-hop strike to 3rd to nab Dodgers slugger and finish the inning.
“He is an distinctive participant,” Jays starter Kevin Gausman stated. “Particularly the final month or so. I believe he is actually took to the management position. And he is at all times been a frontrunner, however he is actually type of doing it on on all elements of the sport.”
The Dodgers seemed drained Tuesday. Perhaps a hangover from Monday’s 18-inning combat. Mookie Betts nonetheless hasn’t discovered it, going from an All-Star power to only one other man. Freddie Freeman has had his moments, however the bullpen is taxed, and the starters are trying beatable. The Dodgers are being examined in a method they have not been all postseason. That is the price of attempting to repeat. The price of dealing with Guerrero.
On the opposite aspect, Guerrero’s play has the Blue Jays two wins away from a World Collection title. Tuesday’s win ensures at the very least a Recreation 6 again dwelling at Rogers Centre with an entire nation watching, clinging to each pitch, believing this might be the Blue Jays’ probability to go from lingering in potential to completely blossomed.
Guerrero would not care about his second. That one, nevertheless, he’ll.
“You simply gotta preserve going,” he stated. “You gotta go on the market and proceed competing. And whoever wins, wins.”
