MLB playoffs may have unlocked something for Blue Jays superstar

The Toronto Blue Jays added a lot of talent to their roster over the offseason, but there's no denying that the face of the franchise remains first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Owner of a $500 million contract, the soon-to-be 27-year-old slugger has proven himself as one of the best hitters on the planet while playing on the biggest stages in the sport.

Those stats were totaled before the Dominican Republic's mauling of Korea in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals, where Guerrero added one hit (in two at-bats) and an RBI to his ledger. Considering that it's carrying over from one year to the next, this is about as impressive of a hot streak as we've seen from any MLB hitter in recent memory.

After an otherworldly postseason in which he set the Blue Jays' all-time playoff home run record, Guerrero has caught fire again this spring; he was hitting .333/.500/.444 in Spring Training before leaving for the WBC, where he's hammering the competition to the tune of a .500 batting average and 1.600 OPS.

It's crazy to suggest for a five-time All-Star and ALCS MVP, but we may actually be seeing the rise, not the peak, of Guerrero Jr.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has space to build on impressive 2025 campaign

Everyone remembers Guerrero's otherworldly performance in October, when he walked twice as often as he struck out while posting a ludicrous 241 wRC+. It'd be unfair to the rest of the roster to suggest he "carried" the team, but he was absolutely the most impactful performer in the playoffs on the American League side of the bracket.

However, what gets a little lost is that he wasn't exactly a superstar in the regular season. Mind you, he was still brilliant — he slashed .292/.381/.467 and earned 3.9 fWAR — but he hit only 23 home runs and (according to wRC+) was nearly 20% worse than he was in 2024.

That leaves quite a bit of room for one of the best players in the world to improve year over year. He's twice posted a wRC+ above 160, and another step forward would land him solidly in Aaron Judge territory, making him a legitimate MVP contender once again. Guerrero certainly sounds motivated to reach those heights in 2026.

Perhaps the one thing working against him is a loss of lineup protection in the form of Bo Bichette. The two have played together since debuting in 2019, and their close relationship pushed both stars to continue improving.

Still, the hot streak he's on right now suggests Guerrero has found another gear. Hopefully, he can maintain this momentum into the regular season. If he does, the Blue Jays should be considered universal favorites to repeat as AL East champs.