Vladimir Guerrero Jr. vs Jose Ramirez Player Predictions for Blue Jays vs Guardians - May 7th | MLB 2022

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Jose Ramirez — two of the game's greatest Dominican sluggers of their generation — will match up tomorrow, May 7, when the Toronto Blue Jays continue their series with the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field.

Designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero Jr. leads a Blue Jays squad that sits at third place in their division despite a respectable 15-11 record. The American League East is lining up to be one of the most competitive divisions in the game, currently with the Tampa Bay Rays and league-leading New York Yankees ahead of Guerrero and the Blue Jays.

Jose Ramirez, meanwhile, stars on a Guardians roster that is in the midst of a rebuild. However, the Guardians are in second place in their division despite their losing record of 12-13. This is likely due to the incredibly weak American League Central. The 15-10 Twins find themselves in the middle of the AL East as well.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Preview:

Boston Red Sox v Toronto Blue Jays

While his scorching hot start to the 2022 MLB season has cooled off considerably, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remains one of the best hitters in the league currently. He is sporting a daunting .527 slugging percentage on the campaign and is the thump the Blue Jays have been searching for since Jose Bautista was in his prime.

"ON THE FIRST PITCH Vlad Guerrero Jr. HR (+260)" - @ Action Network

It appears Guerrero Jr. loves playing in the United States as he is hitting especially well on the road with an OPS of 1.114. This could spell bad news for Guardians pitchers.

Jose Ramirez Preview:

Cleveland Guardians signed Jose Ramirez to a contract extension that will keep the third baseman in Cleveland through the 2028 season.

Jose Ramirez stunned the baseball world entering the 2022 season when the All-Star third baseman signed a team-friendly five-year contract extension for $124 million. The 29-year-old corner infielder has performed well since inking the deal, boasting seven home runs on the season and a .659 slugging percentage.

"Jose Ramirez left money on the table to stay in Cleveland" - @ FOX Sports: MLB

Ramirez's commitment to the team shows his willingness to serve as the face of the franchise as they try to put pieces around him.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. vs Cleveland Guardians Pitching

Guerrero has played only 11 games against Cleveland in his young career. To this point, he's done almost as much damage in this series (one home run and two runs batted in on May 5) as he has against the Guardians in his career (one home run and three runs batted in entering play today).

Jose Ramirez vs Toronto Blue Jays Pitching

Jose Ramirez actually has more career stolen bases (seven) against the Blue Jays than he does home runs (five). The third baseman has a somewhat respectable .762 OPS against Toronto. However, that mark is his third worst against American League teams, behind the Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox. The Guardians superstar's struggles come mainly at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. He has performed better against the Jays in his home park.

Guerrero vs. Ramirez Verdict

There are few players who strike more fear into opposing pitchers' hearts than Vladimir Guerrero Jr. I expect Jose Ramirez to play above average offensively. However, Guerrero is so lethal this year on the road that there doesn't seem to be a stadium in the sport capable of containing this Dominican Distributor of Dingers. Expect Guerrero Jr. to win this matchup. However, there is no love lost between two of the greatest Dominican ballplayers of this era.