Blue Jays fans can rejoice.
After a display of service time manipulation, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is officially on his way to the major leagues.
Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo told reporters following the Blue Jays’ Wednesday loss to the San Francisco Giants that Guerrero, the top-ranked prospect in all of baseball by most scouting services, will be called up from Triple A Buffalo to make his major league debut Friday at home against the Oakland A’s.
The news comes on a day when the Blue Jays dropped their second straight and also held shortstop Freddy Galvis out of the game, ending his consecutive-games-played streak at 349. That was the longest active streak in baseball.
With Thursday an off day, the club has an extra day to decide whether Galvis, who left the Sunday game in Oakland after trying to field a grounder, will go on the injured list.
Guerrero, who plays third base, went 2-for-5 with a home run and a pair of runs scored against Syracuse on Wednesday. In 12 minor league games this season, the 20-year-old is batting .333 (14-for-45) with three home runs, nine RBIs and nine runs.
He missed most of spring training because of a strained oblique muscle, with Wednesday representing the first time this season he played on three straight days. The extra time on the shelf allowed the Blue Jays to secure an extra year of control.
“He’s comfortable,” Montoyo told reporters of Guerrero before Wednesday’s game. “He’s not going to be nervous and scared of the big leagues. … I think he’ll be fine when he comes here.”
Guerrero’s father, Vladimir, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame last year. The elder Guerrero, 44, played 16 seasons in the majors, primarily with the Montreal Expos and Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels. He was a nine-time All-Star and the 2004 American League Most Valuable Player.
With Field Level Media