Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a player on a mission with his sights set on 2026.

Last year, the Blue Jays surprised just about everyone by making it to the World Series. We knew the club had resources, but very few people expected them to go far in October.

And in the end, they made it all the way to November.

However, we know that the Jays suffered a heartbreaking defeat in Game 7 of the World Series. They were just a few outs away from winning, but ultimately had to settle for a loss on their home field.

And that clearly motivated the organization's star player. According to Ken Rosenthal, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. really suffered after the final game… and he wanted to make sure he didn't have to go through that again.

The result? He is a player on a mission for the upcoming season.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a man on a mission, says @Ken_Rosenthal. pic.twitter.com/v6IGt1jtag

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 2, 2026

We know that Vladdy, who signed a monster contract to stay with the Blue Jays long-term last season, didn't necessarily have the most dominant regular season. He was good… but we knew he was capable of better.

And in the playoffs, he really started to tear it up. His eight home runs in 18 games, for example, showed what a big-time player he is.

But beyond that, he also shone with his defensive play and running skills. He was truly at the top of his game last fall.

We'll see if Guerrero Jr. can play like that throughout this season. We know he's in great shape right now, and we really feel that he's been working twice as hard to make sure that the next time he reaches the World Series, he'll finish it by lifting the trophy above his head. Good news in Toronto, then.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.