Thursday night at Rogers Centre turned into another rough chapter for the Blue Jays, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was right in the middle of it.
Toronto was beaten 13-2 by the Kansas City Royals, a lopsided loss that came with yet another quiet night from the player expected to carry so much of the load. Guerrero finished 0-for-3 with a walk, and the crowd made its feelings clear after he grounded out in the bottom of the sixth. Boos came raining down, and on the broadcast Guerrero appeared to laugh them off as he headed back to the dugout.
That reaction drew a sharp response from Kevin Pillar, the former Blue Jays outfielder who was on Sportsnet’s broadcast during the eighth inning.
"I get that Vlad Guerrero Jr. is a lovable guy and the face of the franchise, but this fan base has expectations, and he has not met those expectations," said Kevin Pillar during the eighth inning on Sportsnet's broadcast.
"Do I think [the boos] are the best way to get him going? Maybe not, but fans have the right to be frustrated at this point in the season."
Pillar, who spent parts of seven seasons in Toronto from 2013 to 2019, became a fan favourite during his time with the club and now works as an analyst with Sportsnet.
Guerrero’s numbers this month help explain the frustration. Through 16 games in August, he is hitting .231 with a team-low OPS of .572. He has also gone a full year without a regular-season home run at Rogers Centre.
The loss left Toronto at 65-70 with 27 games remaining, 3.5 games out of an American League Wild Card spot. The Blue Jays now head into series against the Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Guardians, two stretches that will go a long way toward deciding whether the season stays alive.
Toronto will likely need to win both three-game sets to keep its playoff chances going. Cleveland currently owns the Wild Card position the Blue Jays are chasing and has won eight of its last 10 games.
In Other News...
Blue Jays May Be About To Lose A Former Top Prospect
The Blue Jays made a notable roster shuffle by bringing back right-hander CJ Van Eyk and designating Simeon Woods Richardson for assignment, a move that speaks to how quickly the margin for young pitchers can shrink. Woods Richardson has been fighting through a rough stretch, and Torontos decision to make room points to a club still searching for stability on the pitching staff while trying to see what it has in Van Eyk.
Woods Richardson now goes on waivers, and because he is out of minor league options, any team that claims him would have to keep him on a major league roster. If he clears, he would have the choice to elect free agency, leaving the Blue Jays with a former top prospect at a crossroads and a bullpen/rotation depth picture that could change again before long. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Bichette Just Reopened A Blue Jays What-If Fans Will Feel
Bo Bichettes move to the Mets already carried enough for Blue Jays fans to sort through, but his recent comments added another layer to the departure. In talking about the leadership role he has taken on in New York, Bichette said he has been working closely with rookies A.J. Ewing and Carson Benge, a reminder of how much his own path in Toronto asked him to figure things out on the fly.
Bichette also looked back on the early part of his career and the absence of a mentor, while crediting Marcus Semien for the example he set during their time together. For Blue Jays fans, it nudges open the old what-if: how different might Bichettes Toronto years have felt with more guidance around him, and what might the organization have seen if the relationship had been built to last? [Read more 🡒]
John Schneiders Future Just Became Part Of Torontos Playoff Race
The Blue Jays have spent much of 2026 in an uncomfortable middle ground, good enough to stay in the conversation but not quite secure enough to relax. At 65-70, Toronto is still hanging around the AL Wild Card picture, which means every stretch run result now carries extra weight not just for the roster, but for the manager steering it.
John Schneiders place in the discussion has become part of the backdrop, too. Sports Illustrateds Karl Rasmussen noted that a missed postseason could put Schneiders job in jeopardy even after he guided the club to the World Series in 2025, and his overall track record in Toronto has been solid over five seasons with three playoff trips. For a team still trying to turn contention into something more lasting, the next few weeks may say as much about the dugout as they do about the standings. [Read more 🡒]