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Despite showing offensive brilliance in the past, 2023 was a definitive step down for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays. For fans of the MLB's sole Canadian team, it brought forth plenty of complaints about the first baseman's play.
Despite recording career-lows in almost every offensive category, Vladimir Guerrero Jr was selected as the cover athlete for the MLB The Show: 24 video game. Needless to say, fans had plenty to say about this.
For decades, baseball's most popular video game has featured the hottest names of the day on their covers. Last season, Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Miami Marlins graced the cover. But after a season that left plenty to be desired for Vladdy, fans are calling PlayStation Studio's decision into question.
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In 2021, Guerrero's 48 home runs led the league in the category, as did his .401 on-base percentage and 1.002 slugging percentage. However, the 2023 season was not as kind to the Canadian-born Dominican.
In 156 games, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit .264/.345/.444 with 26 home runs and 94 RBIs. Although he still garnered an All-Star appearance, these were Guerrero's worst figures since his rookie season of 2019.
"So many better options," one fan tweeted.
Here are some of the top reactions on X:
To exacebate matters, Guerrero Jr. was picked off in a pivotal moment of the AL Wild Card Series against the Minnesota Twins. Lambasted for poor baserunning, the lapse led to the Jays being swept, handing the Twins their first postseason series victory since the 2004 season.
Despite having some rather well-founded qualms, Toronto Blue Jays fans appreciate Vladdy deep down.
His father, of the same name, is a Hall of Famer who spent eight years playing for the Montreal Expos before they became the Washington Nationals. As such, the Guerrero family continues to hold a special place in the psyche of Canadian baseball fans.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. needs to use fan dissent as a motivation for 2023
After the Jays' untimely postseason exit in 2023, a lot of the frustration was directed at Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Although a portion of that emotion is well-founded, a lot of it was not. As the ostensible face of the franchise, the 24-year old is often the first player on the team to receive praise but also one of the first to receive criticism.
After a 2023 that could have been much better on many fronts, Guerrero should use this lukewarm reaction from fans to be even better in 2024.
