Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had perfect response to baffling Alex Cora decision

When the Blue Jays signed Anthony Santander to a five-year, $92.5 million contract in the offseason, they did so in the hopes that the slugger would be able to provide even more protection for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the Blue Jays lineup. 

We got a tangible example of that happening on Thursday when Red Sox manager Alex Cora had to decide how to handle Guerrero with first base open in the eighth inning. Last year, Cora likely would have intentionally walked Guerrero in that situation.

But this year, Cora elected to pitch to Guerrero, likely in large part because Santander was waiting behind him. And Guerrero made Cora pay with a go-ahead home run in a huge Toronto win.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had perfect response to baffling Alex Cora decision

Guerrero’s home run put the Blue Jays ahead 4-2, which was the margin that they’d go on to win by. 

Guerrero’s home run was set up by a one-out single from Nathan Lukes followed by a double from Bo Bichette. Cora elected to face Guerrero with two runners on as opposed to intentionally walking Guerrero to face Santander. 

While that meant that Santander would have been up with the bases loaded, it also meant that the double play would have been in play. 

Cora’s decision to pitch to Guerrero raised some eyebrows in the Blue Jays’ clubhouse.

"We know there was an open base," Guerrero Jr. said after the game, per WEEI’s Rob Bradford. "I know I have Santander hitting behind me. He's been swinging the bat well. So I talked to myself, I said I'm going to look for a pitch the whole at-bat. If I get it, good, I'm going to connect. If I don't get it, I'll take my walk and let Santander do the job."

"Boston, they always do it to me. Especially with runners in scoring position and empty bases, they always pitch to me. But I don't think about that. If they decide to pitch to me, I'll make sure I get a good at-bat. If they decide to walk, then I take my walk."

Cora’s decision might have been rooted in what happened Wednesday when Santander crushed a game-tying, three-run home run in the seventh inning. 

While Santander only had one hit on Friday and is hitting .178 on the year, teams will always have to respect his power, which is a latent benefit that comes with having him in the lineup. 

After ending April in a historic cold streak, the Blue Jays offense seems to be waking up. They homered in all three games against the Red Sox, and Guerrero mashed homers in two of those three games. 

Guerrero entered the series with just two homers on the year, and it took him just 72 hours to double that total. 

The Blue Jays still need to do some work to get to a place where they can feel confident about their ability to compete in the American League Central, but this week’s showing against Boston was a good first step thanks to Toronto’s two best sluggers.