Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remains the top vote-getter for next month's MLB All-Star Game, but the folks in Coors Field and everyone watching at home on television won't get to see him attack Denver's thin air in the All-Star Home Run Derby.
Guerrero, who pounded a record 91 Derby home runs over the fences in Cleveland two years ago, has decided to skip the Derby this year. The news was first reported by Sportsnet's Hazel Mae and Guerrero confirmed it during a video call Wednesday prior to the Toronto Blue Jays' series finale in Miami.
In his most recent call last week, Guerrero had said he was leaning toward participating in the derby. But the MLB home run leader, with 23 entering Wednesday's game, said he had second thoughts in recent days.
"It was more about me mentally, physically, how I felt," Guerrero said Wednesday. "So I took those days to really think about this. And by the end of the day, I decided to not to participate just to take care of myself physically, mentally, and just be ready for the second half."
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Guerrero said he took advice on his decision from multiple people and then spoke last week to his father, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr.
"We had a good conversation," he said. "And then I took a few days to reflect on that conversation. And that's when I decided not to participate. But it was my own decision."
New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso, who beat Guerrero by one homer in the championship round in 2019, said he will return to defend his title.
"I'm planning to have my camera with a mic on it to record everything just to enjoy the moment," Guerrero said. " ... Support the rest of the guys and have a good time with it."
Reeling Orioles hit Sahlen Field
The Blue Jays open a 10-game homestand at 7:07 p.m. Thursday in Sahlen Field against the Baltimore Orioles, who are trying to avoid some dubious history.
If the Orioles lose Thursday's opener, they will become just the third American League team in history to lose 20 straight games on the road – and the first since the 1943 Philadelphia Athletics set the mark with 22 straight losses. A four-game Toronto sweep would push Baltimore's futility to 23 games and give the Orioles the AL mark on their own.
Arizona is concurrently running a road losing streak that has reached an MLB-record 23 games. The Diamondbacks, managed by Buffalo Baseball Hall of Famer Torey Lovullo, head back on the road Friday night in San Diego to open a three-game series.
With Steven Matz still on the road back from the Covid IL list, the Blue Jays will be starting Anthony Kay (0-2, 6.43) on Thursday. Their other starters in the series will be Alek Manoah, Hyun Jin Ryu and Ross Stripling. Manoah is pitching while appealing the five-game suspension he earned for throwing at Baltimore's Maikel Franco last Saturday.
