Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gave John Schneider another sign Friday that the pressure is getting heavier at the plate.
The moment came after Guerrero popped out on a 3-0 pitch, then snapped his bat over his knee on the way back to the dugout. The bat may already have been cracked from the swing, but the frustration was plain either way.
That reaction did not come out of nowhere. Guerrero has been trying to grind through a season that still has not looked like his usual middle-of-the-order form.
Toronto came into Friday at 19-24, and that losing record has only tightened the spotlight around its biggest star. When the Blue Jays are fighting uphill in the standings, every empty at-bat from Guerrero lands harder.
Schneider already said earlier this week that Guerrero is trying to do too much and wants to be the guy who carries the club. The manager's point was simple: the more Guerrero presses for that, the harder the job gets.
That is exactly what Friday looked like. A 3-0 count usually gives a hitter control of the at-bat, yet Guerrero still came away with a popout and a walk back to the dugout full of anger.
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The frustration matches the Blue Jays' bigger problem
Guerrero's full season line is not empty. Earlier this week, Sportsnet pointed to his strong on-base work, but also to the missing power that has shaped this rough opening stretch.
That is why the bat snap stands out more than a normal emotional moment. It looked like a hitter who knows he is not giving Toronto the damage it needs and knows everybody in the ballpark feels it too.
The Blue Jays have dealt with injuries, lineup churn, and rotation problems, which only adds to the weight on Guerrero's shoulders. He has already admitted this week that the team's health issues make it harder not to force the issue himself.
But that is the trap for him. Guerrero is at his best when the swing stays loose and the ball starts jumping off the bat without him chasing the hero version of every plate appearance. Schneider has seen that cycle before, and Friday's reaction looked like the latest version of it.
For Toronto, the concern is not that Guerrero got mad. Stars are allowed to be angry. The concern is that the frustration keeps showing up because the results still are not matching the role he is trying to fill.
That is why this moment will stick. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. did not just pop out on a 3-0 pitch. He looked like a hitter carrying too much, and the snapped bat only made that pressure impossible to miss.
Is Vladimir Guerrero Jr. putting too much pressure on himself right now?
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