The Toronto Blue Jays made a trade on Friday, sending relief pitcher Tommy Nance to the Minnesota Twins amid an incredibly disappointing season.
And in the meantime, their top player got absolutely blasted.
Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has earned an unwanted distinction midway through the 2026 MLB season. According to veteran baseball writer Jayson Stark of The Athletic, Guerrero stands out as the American League’s Least Valuable Player for the first half.
Now in the opening season of his massive 14-year, $500 million contract extension, the 27-year-old slugger has delivered results that fall far short of expectations.
Through 88 games, Guerrero has managed only five home runs while posting a modest .694 OPS and an OPS+ of 90, meaning his offensive production has sat about 10 percent below the league average. For a player earning a hefty $40.2 million this year as baseball’s highest-paid first baseman, those numbers represent a significant letdown.
The Blue Jays entered the season with high hopes for Guerrero, who had played a major role in pushing the team close to the World Series the previous year. Instead, his bat has gone quiet in ways that have hurt the lineup.
Toronto’s first basemen currently rank near the bottom of the majors in several key categories, including OPS, home runs, and batting runs above average, according to Baseball Reference data highlighted by Stark. Notably, Guerrero has yet to hit a home run in his home ballpark at Rogers Centre this season—his most recent one there came more than 260 days ago, despite nearly 200 plate appearances in Toronto.
Stark, one of the sport’s most respected voices, pointed out the broader impact: the Blue Jays sit 28th out of 30 teams in first-base OPS, dead last in home runs from the position, and near the bottom in WAR contributions.
This production gap has left fans and analysts scratching their heads, especially given Guerrero’s track record as one of the game’s premier hitters in recent seasons.
Despite the challenges, there are some silver linings. Guerrero earned a starting nod at first base for the upcoming All-Star Game through fan voting.
However, he chose to skip the event in favor of rest, aiming to recharge for what the Blue Jays hope will be a much stronger second half. At this stage, Toronto’s postseason chances likely hinge on a revival from their star. When Guerrero swings a hot bat, the entire team tends to rise with him.
The sudden drop-off at age 27 comes as a surprise, with little prior indication that such a steep regression was on the horizon. Whether it’s a temporary slump or something requiring deeper adjustments, the coming weeks will be critical. For now, the focus remains on whether Guerrero can rediscover his power stroke and carry the Blue Jays back into contention as the season enters its stretch run.
