Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sets new career-high in base hits in loss to Rays

On Saturday evening, the Toronto Blue Jays once again fell to the division rival Tampa Bay Rays. This time around, the Jays came just short, losing 3-2 primarily thanks to a two-run home run by Rays infielder Jonathan Aranda.

Lost in the shuffle was Vladimir Guerrero Jr. going 3-for-5 in the contest. Guerrero, playing third base, logged his 189th, 190th and 191st base hits. Not only is he nearing the 200-hit landmark for the first time in his career, his first hit on Saturday was one that broke a tie for his single-season career high.

Vladdy is the face of this Blue Jays franchise and seems to be only getting better with age. He's currently without a long-term contract extension and is one of the most obvious candidates to receive a new contract in all of baseball. His impact on this organization can not be overstated and it's time to lock the man up.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sets new career-high in base hits

Last year, Guerrero hit "only" .264 with 26 home runs, 94 RBI and an OPS+ of 116, which put him 16 percent above league-average at the plate. This was interpreted by many as a significant regression and there were a ton of Blue Jays fans that were legitimately concerned that their superstar was "only" 16 percent above league-average.

This year, Guerrero has been silencing the naysayers from the get go. He hit just .219 in the month of April but has been over .300 in every other month of the season. Since the All-Star break, he's been one of the very best run producers in the game.

In 56 games post-break, Guerrero is hitting .386 with 16 home runs, 42 RBI and more walks (28) than strikeouts (24). He's showing patience at the plate and attacking virtually every single hittable offering the opposition throws his way. Saturday's accomplishment is huge for him, as it shows that last year's "down" performance was a random one-off.

Just a few days ago, Vladdy hit his 30th home run of the year. In doing so, he became the first Blue Jay ever to hit 30 or more home runs three times before his 26th birthday. As previously stated (time and time again!), Guerrero is the face of the Blue Jays. He is their heartbeat and what keeps this team running. It seems that every single day he's providing the team with more reasons to lock him up for the rest of his playing days.