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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays square off against Xander Bogaerts and division rival Boston Red Sox. The two teams will look to be among the contenders in the competitive AL East division.
The Toronto Blue Jays, behind the bat of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., have a 6-4 record and have one of the most potent offenses in all of baseball. Guerrero Jr. leads the American League in home runs with five so far.
The Boston Red Sox are another team that has star hitters up and down their line-up. The biggest issue for both teams so far has been their pitching staff. This article will preview the highly anticipated matchup and what to expect from each team's star players.
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Preview
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball. His mere presence at the plate is enough to intimidate any pitcher, let alone his hitting skills. Last year, Guerrero broke out by finishing second in the AL MVP voting with a .311 batting average, league-leading 48 home runs, and 111 RBI's.
Guerrero currently leads the league in homers, at the start of 2022, and 3 of his 5 home runs came against another division rival in the New York Yankees. Guerrero put on a show at the Yankee Stadium.
Guerrero Jr. will look to continue his stellar play when the spotlight is on him and the Blue Jays at Fenway Park.
Xander Bogaerts Preview
Xander Bogaerts is arguably the best offensive shortstop in all of baseball and his stats back up this claim. Last year, Bogaerts batted .295 with 23 home runs and 79 RBI's.
Over his past three seasons (not counting the 2020 shortened season), Bogaerts has hit at least 20 home runs and has batted at least .285 in each season.
Watch Bogaerts hit his first postseason home run last year off of Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole, below.
Bogaerts has gotten off to a great start in 2022. He is currently hitting .333 with 1 home run and 5 RBI's.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. vs Boston Red Sox Pitching Staff
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has faired quite well against the Boston Red Sox over his young career. Last season, Guerrero Jr. hit .375 with 7 home runs and 18 RBI's in 72 at-bats.
The probable starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox is Nick Pivetta. Guerrero Jr. went 4-for-14 with a home run off of Pivetta last year. Look for Guerrero Jr. to have a favorable matchup against the inconsistent Red Sox starter.
Xander Bogaerts vs Toronto Blue Jays Pitching Staff
Xander Bogaerts vs the Toronto Blue Jays pitching staff a year ago did not go in the favor of the star shortstop. Last year, Bogaerts hit just .218 against Toronto, although he did manage to hit three home runs.
Jose Berrios gets the start for the Blue Jays. Last season, Boegarts went 0-for-3 with a strikeout against Berrios. This unfavorable matchup for Bogaerts makes it awfully tough to pick the Red Sox in this one.
Guerrero Jr. vs Bogaerts: Verdict
In this particular matchup, Guerrero Jr. gets the final verdict. Guerrero's past success against the Red Sox and Bogaerts' struggles against Blue Jays pitching make it an easy choice. Guerrero is the best hitter in the game and will look to continue to showcase this Wednesday night.
