Santo Domingo, Dominican Vladimir Guerrero Jr. once again showed why he is one of the most feared hitters in Major League Baseball, by hitting his third consecutive home run in the Divisional Series against the New York Yankees, guiding the Toronto Blue Jays to the brink of qualifying for the Championship Series.
The blast came in the first inning of Game 3, played at Yankee Stadium, when Guerrero Jr. connected on an 86.3 mph changeup from left-hander Carlos Rodón, sending the ball 427 feet into the left-center field stands. The hit, with an exit velocity of 110.5 mph, produced two runs and raised his RBI total to seven in just 10 at-bats in the series.
The 26-year-old Dominican slugger maintains an impressive offensive line against the Yankees: .311/.373/.560 (OPS of .941) in 104 career games, with 24 home runs, 80 RBIs, and 52 extra-base hits.
Furthermore, Tuesday’s home run made him the first player in Toronto Blue Jays history to hit a home run in three consecutive postseason games, reaffirming his status as the offensive engine of the Canadian team.
The rivalry between Guerrero Jr. and the Yankees intensified even more when the New York manager Aaron Boone decided to intentionally walk him in the third inning, with first base unoccupied. However, the strategy didn’t work: Toronto took advantage of the situation to manufacture a four-run rally and extend their lead to 6-1, heading towards a possible sweep.
The blast came in the first inning of Game 3, played at Yankee Stadium, when Guerrero Jr. connected on an 86.3 mph changeup from left-hander Carlos Rodón, sending the ball 427 feet into the left-center field stands. The hit, with an exit velocity of 110.5 mph, produced two runs and raised his RBI total to seven in just 10 at-bats in the series.
The 26-year-old Dominican slugger maintains an impressive offensive line against the Yankees: .311/.373/.560 (OPS of .941) in 104 career games, with 24 home runs, 80 RBIs, and 52 extra-base hits.
