Bronx, NY- You talk with teammates of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and they say a three home run night from the Blue Jays first baseman is never a surprise. Basically, Guerrero Jr. has all the instincts and power of a Home run hitter.
Wednesday night in the Bronx, he recorded a second career three home run game. The Yankees would love to have him in their dugout but the 23-year old, 2021 All-Star game Most Valuable Player, is still years away from free agency and the Blue Jays depend on his bat and defense at first base.
And this was his second career three-home run game. HIs father and Hall of Famer never had a three home run game. Is Vladimir Guerrero Jr. a better hitter than his dad?
I asked a longtime scout at Yankee Stadium Thursday night and posed the question.
“ He has such a smooth swing and the power is similar to the great home run hitters,” he said. “If he stays in the lineup there will eventually be another Guerrero in the Hall Of Fame.”
Of course a long baseball season is predicted also on staying healthy. Guerrero Jr. takes good care of himself. During the long lockout that delayed the start of the season, he stayed with a routine and was physically prepared for a brief spring training.
Thursday evening, prior to the finale of a three games series with the Yankees, Guerrero Jr. was in the bowels of Yankee Stadium. He wasn’t in the visitors clubhouse. Instead, as he always does, Guerrero Jr. was taking swings in the cage and doing some stretching in the back areas of the clubhouse.
“Everybody is talking about it,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoya said about the three home runs Guerrero Jr. hit off Yankees pitching.
Two of the home runs came off Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, the first reviewed and the second a line drive two-run shot..A double in the sixth completed a 4-for-4 night for the 2021 Latino Sports AL MVP as voted by writers and broadcasters.
Teammate Bo Bichette, part of this potent Blue Jays offense, son of former major leaguer Dante, was not surprised.
“ Not the first time, there will be more,” Bo Bichette said. “He is an MVP. We all know how good he is to see that up front.”
Thursday night, Guerrero Jr. reversed the trend and struck out four times. Luis Severino was able to contain him but a home run hitter like this always gets another opportunity to hit another or three more. Most baseball experts project him to be the American League MVP when all the votes are counted in October. 
The Yankees split the four game series with a 3-0 win and were able to contain Guerrero this time around. The two teams are expected to be neck-and neck along with the Red Sox and Tampa Bay in their quest to win the AL East title.
But Wednesday night will be remembered. Home run hitters with this proficiency are fun to watch, though a home run every time at bat should not be expected. They also have their share of strikeouts
Guerrero Jr. had the Golden Sombrero Thursday night and baseball can be a mean game based on one night after another.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer with Latinosports.com Twitter@Ring786 Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
