Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ended a drought lasting all season at Rogers Centre on September 13, 2026, hitting his first home run at home in the fifth inning against Baltimore Orioles left-hander Trevor Rogers to help the Toronto Blue Jays secure an 8-1 victory.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. did not move an inch. He was not leaving the batter’s box until that ball cleared the fence. In his 289th plate appearance of 2026 and the 150th game of the season, Guerrero connected on a 79-mph sweeper from Orioles starter Trevor Rogers in the fifth inning.
He stood like a statue over home plate, his bat pointed toward the left-field corner of the stadium as his ball soared out. It did not clear the wall by much, traveling 350 feet just beyond the barrier, but Guerrero knew it instantly.
“I know my stadium,” Guerrero said through interpreter Hector LeBron. “I know when I can stand at the plate.”
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Breaking the Drought and Resetting the Season
This was the moment the Blue Jays, their fans, and Guerrero had been waiting to see all year. He had teased supporters throughout 2026 on the road in Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit, Boston, San Diego, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Cleveland, but never at the place he calls home in Toronto.
The deep drop in production has marked a sharply disappointing campaign in the first year of Guerrero’s 14-year, $500 million contract with the Blue Jays. Coming into Sunday, he carried just 1.0 bWAR on the season with eight homers, a .259 batting average, and a .683 OPS—the worst mark of his career. In 67 games at home, he had not hit a single home run.
That drought ended on September 13. The sellout crowd roared until Guerrero popped out of the dugout for a curtain call, still wearing his red home run jacket and beaming.
“You look around and it looked like it was a walk-off homer. I saw Giménez jumping over the railing. Me, George and Ernie were all high-fiving. Vlad is our guy.”
John Schneider, manager
Explosive Fifth Inning and Wild Card Chase
Guerrero’s round-tripper was part of an explosive sequence in the fifth inning. It was sandwiched between consecutive solo shots by George Springer and Kazuma Okamoto that broke a 1-1 deadlock against Baltimore. It marked the seventh time in club history the Blue Jays have hit three consecutive home runs, and the first time since 2012.
The victory moved the Blue Jays back to .500 and kept them one game back in the American League wild card race, as the Cleveland Guardians also won on Sunday to maintain their slim edge. The win gave Toronto a 6-4 edge in the season series with Baltimore.
Dylan Cease’s Uneven Outing on the Mound
Right-hander Dylan Cease earned the win despite a difficult afternoon on the mound. His velocity was down, and his control faltered early as he walked four batters through the first four innings and five overall.
Cease avoided early trouble in the first inning when an ABS challenge initiated by Brandon Valenzuela overturned a potential walk-in run, allowing Cease to record his first strikeout. That punchout represented a career-high 228th strikeout for the right-hander in a single season. He finished the day with nine strikeouts over five innings, bringing his single-season team rank to 236 strikeouts.
Reflections on Fan Pressure and Family Advice
The high expectations following last year’s World Series visit brought jeers and criticism from home fans during Guerrero’s prolonged slump at Rogers Centre. Schneider acknowledged the hostile environment Guerrero faced in recent weeks, noting that the crowd wanted to see a game and a swing like that.
Reflecting on the boos, Guerrero shared advice passed down from his father, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr.
“I thank the fans for their support,” Guerrero said. “And one thing my dad always told me, he’d say, ‘Son, the fans never boo a bad player.’ I’ll leave it at that.”
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
What Lies Ahead for Toronto
With 12 games remaining in the regular season, the Blue Jays kick off a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Monday night at Rogers Centre. Jose Soriano, who holds a 12-7 record with a 3.48 ERA, takes the mound for Toronto against young right-hander Troy Melton.
