Inside The Pinstripes

'Otherworldly': Yankees Praise Vladimir Guerrero Jr. After Three-Homer Game

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. crushed three home runs on Wednesday night in the Bronx, drawing some compliments from his rivals.

Max Goodman

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NEW YORK — Sometimes you just have to tip your cap. 

Literally.

Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a career night in a win over the Yankees on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, going 4-for-4 with three home runs and four RBI.

The phenom took Yankees ace Gerrit Cole deep twice in his first two at-bats of the game, adding a double into the right-field corner off the right-hander in the sixth. 

Then, Guerrero sent a majestic solo shot up into the second deck off reliever Jonathan Loáisiga to lead off the eighth, the first of two insurance runs in a 6-4 win.

Guerrero Jr.'s first homer of the night nearly stayed in the yard. Center fielder Aaron Hicks got a glove on it, but as much as it looked like the ball ricocheted off the top of the wall, umpires ruled it a homer, Toronto's first run of the night.

Two innings later, after nearly leaving the game with a bloodied finger that was stepped on in the field, Guerrero Jr. turned on a 98-mph fastball in on his hands, sending a 109.1-mph missile into the Blue Jays' bullpen.

"I thought the first home run to center was a hanger, he took advantage of a slider up, but then after that, it was just kind of otherworldly hitting," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after the loss.

In his third at-bat, Guerrero found himself in an 0-2 count after swinging through two pitches from Cole. The right-hander left a two-strike heater over the plate just enough to where the slugger could lace a line drive the opposite way.

As Guerrero Jr. rounded the first base bag, Cole tipped his cap. 

"If you had a cap, you'd tip it too," Cole told reporters in the clubhouse after the game.

The 23-year-old wasn't finished. Against one of the best relievers in the game, Guerrero Jr. walloped a sinker from Loáisiga, sending a 443-foot moonshot just over the facade of the second deck.

"You don't see many right handers elevate the ball like that off a Lo two-seam fastball and he obviously squared that one up," Boone added. "Pretty impressive display by him and we got beat by obviously a great hitter tonight."

Boone and Cole weren't the only Yankees to praise Toronto's young slugger.

Right fielder Aaron Judge, who cracked his first home run of the season in the loss, called Guerrero Jr.'s performance impressive.

"Wish it was against somebody else so I could watch it on TV and see it live," Judge said. "That's the type of player he is. He can take over a game."

Judge's homer came seconds after first baseman Anthony Rizzo launched his third long ball of the season. Rizzo also commended Guerrero Jr. after the game.

"When he's got that swing going, he's better than everyone else," Rizzo said. "It doesn't matter who's on the mound, what pitches are thrown, he put those swings on really good pitches and when guys do that it's not fun when you're on the other side of it."

Guerrero Jr. may be only in his fourth MLB season, but he's already blossoming into one of the biggest Yankee Killers in the game. The slugger is slashing .303/.358/.559 (57-for-188) with 11 home runs, 11 doubles and 32 RBI in 48 career games against New York.

He'll have another opportunity to add to those numbers on Thursday in the finale of this four-game set in the Bronx. Yankees right-hander Luis Severino will take the ball for those in pinstripes, making his second start of the season.

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Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Yankees for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. Goodman has been on the Yankees beat for three seasons. He is also the publisher of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Jets site, Jets Country. Before starting Inside The Pinstripes, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. At school, Goodman was an anchor and reporter with NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. While at Northwestern, Goodman interned with MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman. You can connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.

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