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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is having a somewhat unusual 2026 season. The Blue Jays star is racking up hits at a breakneck pace… but he has only two home runs to his name so far.
Vladdy isn't bad, far from it: he's simply not showing the power we know he's capable of. Albert Pujols is right: Guerrero Jr. is doing the best he can with what he's got.
There is, however, a very simple reason behind all of this: Vladdy has no protection in the lineup. Bo Bichette is no longer in Toronto, which means opposing pitchers aren't afraid to be cautious with Guerrero Jr., knowing that the other players aren't likely to hurt them as much.
But there's one guy who, quietly, is establishing himself as the one who can solve that problem: Kazuma Okamoto.
Because right now, he's showing off the full extent of his power… and he's starting to command respect across the league.
Notes from a #BlueJays series split:
– How Okamoto could impact the rest of Toronto's lineup–
A ‘manager's
decision'– More injury updates (evergreen tweet)Read: https://t.co/2f42wig8wh
— Mitch Bannon (@MitchBannon) May 4, 2026
Right now, Okamoto is on pace to hit 40 home runs by the end of the season. We should expect a dip in performance sooner or later… but the fact remains that the Japanese slugger is proving beyond a doubt that he can do some serious damage.
And above all, he's giving John Schneider an option—Schneider has been looking for someone to bat behind Vladdy since the start of the season. Right now, it's hard to argue that Okamoto doesn't have the ideal profile to be the long-term (or at least medium-term) solution.
Remember that the Jays, for the past few years, have never really been able to protect Guerrero Jr. with a power hitter. It's often Bichette, primarily a contact hitter, who has batted behind the first baseman.
Will Okamoto be the first player with such a profile since Teoscar Hernandez? Everything suggests he deserves a chance to prove it.
- Blue Jays loss.
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) May 5, 2026
- No beef in Boston?
Marcelo Mayer has zero issues with Willson Contreras, who said yesterday that it can be harder for young players to get out of early-season slumps
:“I think things just got taken out of context. I didn't mean to take a shot at anybody, obviously, especially not at Willson. Willson and…— Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) May 4, 2026
- Roman Anthony got injured yesterday.
Roman Anthony has left the game and Masataka Yoshida is playing left field. Anthony had a long visit with trainer Brandon Henry during his first at-bat.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) May 4, 2026
- Jonah Heim in Sacramento.
The Athletics acquire catcher Jonah Heim from Atlanta for cash considerations.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) May 5, 2026
- Wow.
Cam Schlittler now leads the American League with a 1.52 ERA this season pic.twitter.com/9PJnexpL2S
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) May 5, 2026
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