Vladimir Guerrero Jr Takes Fastball to the Elbow, Reports Numb Fingers: Blue Jays Hold Breath on Star Slugger
The Blue Jays could not afford another injury to their lineup. They just got one anyway.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left Monday’s game after taking a pitch directly on his right elbow. X-rays came back negative, which is the only good news Toronto has gotten on this story so far. Guerrero reported numbness in his fingers after the game and is scheduled for further evaluation before Tuesday’s pre-game workout ahead of the home series opener against the Miami Marlins.
The Blue Jays insisted there is no fracture. They did not insist Guerrero is going to play Tuesday. That tells you the level of concern.
The Numbness Is the Concerning Part
X-rays clear bone breaks. They do not clear nerve damage. Numbness in the fingers after a direct elbow hit is the kind of symptom that often points to ulnar nerve irritation or worse. In the best case, Guerrero is back in the lineup within a few days. In the worst case, he misses two weeks or more.
Guerrero is hitting in the .280s with double-digit home runs already and is one of the few productive bats in a Blue Jays lineup that has struggled to score runs. He just signed a massive extension to stay in Toronto. The team’s entire offensive game plan flows through him.
The Blue Jays Already Cannot Catch a Break
Toronto placed right-hander Dylan Cease on the 15-day injured list on the same day Guerrero got hit. Cease is dealing with a mild left hamstring strain. The Jays selected righty Tanner Andrews from Triple-A Buffalo to take Cease’s roster spot.
That is two top-line stars dealing with injury issues on the same news cycle. The Blue Jays are already in a tough position in the AL East. Losing Guerrero for any length of time would push them toward seller territory at the trade deadline if the slide continues.
What to Watch Tuesday
The biggest indicator will be whether Guerrero takes pre-game batting practice. If he swings without pain, he probably plays. If he is held out of BP, expect a short stint on the bereavement-style day-to-day list with a possible IL trip looming.
Manager John Schneider is going to play this carefully. The Blue Jays do not have the offensive depth to lose Guerrero for 15 days. They also do not have the long-term flexibility to risk a chronic nerve issue by pushing him back too early.
The Bigger Picture
This is the second elbow scare for a top AL player this month. The league has been hammered by injuries to star bats all season. The Blue Jays are now praying that Guerrero shakes off the numbness overnight and gets back in the lineup by midweek.
If he does not, the AL East race tightens immediately. The Yankees are pulling away. The Red Sox and Rays are right behind. Toronto cannot afford to lose ground with their best player on the bench.
Guerrero’s name will be on every injury report worth tracking until further notice. The Blue Jays will release an update before first pitch on Tuesday. Whatever it says will swing the trajectory of their season.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
