Vladimir Guerrero Jr. didn’t just show up for the postseason - he took over. The Toronto Blue Jays slugger elevated his game when it mattered most, delivering a standout performance in the American League Championship Series that helped lift the franchise to its first World Series appearance in over 30 years. Against a tough Seattle Mariners squad, Guerrero Jr. was the difference-maker, both at the plate and in the dugout, earning ALCS MVP honors for his efforts.
But as Guerrero Jr. recently revealed in an interview, the battle on the field wasn’t the only one he faced during that intense seven-game series.
In a candid moment, Guerrero Jr. recalled a particularly personal exchange during Game 6 at T-Mobile Park. With the Mariners up 3-2 in the series and the home crowd buzzing, he says he was taunted by the wife of a Seattle player as he walked past a section of family members.
“I still remember that moment during the Seattle series,” Guerrero Jr. said. “As I was walking past a group of family members, one of the women yelled right next to me, loud and proud: ‘Da Blue Jays lose!’
They were up 3-2 in the series at the time, cocky as hell. All I could think was, winners get to have the fun.”
He had headphones on, pretending to listen to music - a move many players use to stay locked in and block out distractions. But he heard every word.
“She said it so boldly, right there beside me, ‘Da Blue Jays lose,’ and the group erupted in cheers behind her,” Guerrero Jr. said. “I even knew exactly who she was and whose wife she was.”
That moment stuck with him. And if there was ever fuel for a big-game performance, that was it.
Toronto responded the way champions do. With their backs against the wall, the Blue Jays stormed back to win Games 6 and 7 on the road, stunning the Mariners and punching their ticket to the Fall Classic. Guerrero Jr. was front and center in that comeback, going 10-for-26 in the series with six extra-base hits, including three home runs - the kind of stat line that doesn’t just win MVP trophies, it cements legacies.
Then came the World Series - a showdown against the star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers, a team many had already penciled in as champions. Toronto entered the series as heavy underdogs, with most expecting a quick and decisive Dodgers sweep. But the Blue Jays didn’t just show up; they went toe-to-toe with baseball’s so-called “dream team” and pushed the series to the limit.
Guerrero Jr. wasn’t shy about the challenge - or about who was on the mound. In particular, he addressed the hype surrounding Dodgers ace Shohei Ohtani.
“We knew we were up against the ‘dream team,’ and everyone had us as massive underdogs,” Guerrero Jr. said. “People were already calling it: swept 1-2-3-4, done!
But honestly? Shohei Ohtani wasn’t that tough to hit.”
That’s a bold statement, especially considering Ohtani’s reputation as one of the most dominant two-way players in the game. But Guerrero Jr. backed it up with his bat, helping push the series to a dramatic Game 7 that went into extra innings before the Dodgers ultimately edged out the win.
The Blue Jays may have fallen just short of the title, but their postseason run - led by Guerrero Jr.’s firepower and fearless mindset - was nothing short of electric. From the ALCS comeback to the wire-to-wire World Series battle, Toronto proved they belonged on the biggest stage.
And for Guerrero Jr., the memory of that taunt in Seattle? It didn’t just sting - it sparked something. Something that nearly carried the Blue Jays all the way to a championship.