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The Blue Jays may be having their worst year of the decade, but there has been the occasional shaft of light protruding through the darkness.
There was another one Wednesday evening when Major League Baseball announced that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be starting at first base for the American League in the all-star game at the home of the Texas Rangers on July 16.
Just 25 years old, Guerrero is going to the midsummer classic for the fourth straight time.
“It’s a blessing from God,” Guerrero said through interpreter Hector Lebron. “(I’m) very happy, very happy. That’s all you work for as a ballplayer and, I mean, four consecutive ones. That’s very nice.”
It wasn’t always a given that the young slugger would get the all-star nod. A week into May — nearly a quarter of the way through the season — Guerrero was hitting .234 with only four home runs. But he hit stride starting with a three-hit game in Philadelphia on May 8, sparking a 9-for-13 run, and he’s been on fire ever since.
The power has come around in a big way recently, with six home runs and six doubles over his last 11 games.
Manager John Schneider, who has been with Guerrero since Class-A ball, says there’s a lot that makes him a worthy all-star.
This story is from the July 04, 2024 edition of Toronto Star.
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This story is from the July 04, 2024 edition of Toronto Star.
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