Blue Jays' Vladdy Guerrero Jr. joins an absolutely stacked team in the WBC

There's been some discourse about which country Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would represent in his World Baseball Classic debut in 2026, and he's finally made his decision. Despite being born in Montreal, Guerrero understandably chooses to follow his father's path and represent the Dominican Republic. He missed out on the opportunity to play in the 2023 WBC due to a knee injury, but this time he's ready to go.

The Dominican Republic's WBC roster is undoubtedly one of the finest all-around teams ever composed in a tournament like this, boasting perennial All-Star-caliber hitters and pitchers at every position. Names like Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, Manny Machado, Ketel Marte, and José Ramírez will surround Guerrero on the diamond and compose an incredibly tough lineup for any opposing pitcher(s) to have to face.

Blue Jays' Vladdy Guerrero Jr. joins an absolutely stacked team in the WBC

Proven Clutch Performer

Guerrero is coming off one of the best years of his career despite falling short of his career highs in certain areas, as his incredible postseason performance was one for the ages breaking a few records along the way. This WBC will be the first time Guerrero is representing the Dominican Republic on a national stage and he's got a pretty good track record of showing up in important games lately.

Guerrero cemented himself as the best October performer in Blue Jays history with what he accomplished in 2025. He batted .397 across 18 games in the playoffs, including a franchise-record eight home runs, six doubles, and 16 RBIs. Guerrero was also named ALCS MVP for his efforts in the Blue Jays' trouncing of the Seattle Mariners in the back-and-forth seven-game series.

The WBC format would have each team play a handful of games in their denoted groups and then yet another handful in the playoff bracket, overall accounting for a sample size of under ten games. If Guerrero can perform in the WBC with even remotely the same level of success as he had in the 2025 postseason, the Dominican Republic might be the team to watch out for.

The DR had Jeimer Candelario starting games at first base for them in the 2023 WBC, and since then he has posted a subpar .229/.301/.433 slashline while posting a negative fWAR in each of the last two seasons. Although he slashed .500/.571/.583 in the last WBC tournament, replacing his production at the plate with Guerrero's is undoubtedly a great improvement.

Does Adding Vladdy Make the DR the Favourites?

It's tough to predict exactly how the standings for the WBC will shape out when teams' rosters are still in the process of being completed, but it's safe to say that the DR will have a good chance at challenging for the championship in 2026.

Guerrero is one of multiple new additions to their squad, joining young slugger Junior Caminero who smashed 45 home runs and 110 RBI in his sophomore season with the Rays. Their rotation is also getting a boost thanks to the likes of Cristopher Sánchez of the Phillies, who is coming off a NL Cy Young runner-up season in which he led the league in rWAR (8.0).

The favourites for this tournament will likely still remain the United States and Japan, who have combined to win four of the five WBC tournaments thus far, including an incredibly intense championship game between the two in 2023. The DR will have to overcome some incredble rosters from these other teams, and they certainly have the starpower to do so.

Closing Thoughts

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gives the Dominican Republic team a feared weapon that they haven't been able to boast just yet, and the DR team is poised to make waves on a global stage in the springtime. They've always had some of the best rosters in these tournaments, but in 2026 they just might win the whole thing.

Guerrero joins several of his Blue Jays teammates as they represent their respective countries. For example, Bo Bichette will likely be playing for Team Brazil. Andrés Giménez and Anthony Santander will represent Team Venezuela for their second time (first as teammates, though), and Alejandro Kirk will certainly make his WBC debut for Team Mexico.

The Blue Jays will be very well-represented at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and Guerrero Jr.'s commitment to Team Dominican Republic showcases just how diverse this team truly is. Despite their different backgrounds, the Blue Jays were one of the tightest groups in baseball last year, and this is just another opportunity to perform their best on a global stage.