Toronto Blue Jays: Revisiting Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s historic 2021 Season
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. set the MLB on fire last season, becoming the top player for the Toronto Blue Jays and winning the most exciting home run race in years. With a whopping 48 dingers, Guerrero Jr. edged out similarly great sluggers Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels and Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres. The race to lead the league in home runs was one of the most tantalizing parts of the 2021 MLB season.
As if 48 home runs in 161 games weren't enough, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also led the league in Runs Scored, touching home plate 123 times. Guerrero Jr., lovingly called Vladdy by teammates, proved he was capable of more than just crushing balls into outer space with an all-around excellent offensive game.
His historic season was contextualized well via the MLB Stats Twitter page, showing below that Guerreo Jr. is the youngest player ever to lead the MLB in home runs.
48 homers for Vladdy Guerrero Jr.
What a season! https://t.co/8tYRlReMcF
"48 homers for Vladdy Guerro Jr. What a season!" - @ MLB Stats
With a career-high batting average of .311 and an American League-high On Base Percentage of .401, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. cemented his spot among the top players in the MLB. The 2021 season also earned Guerrero Jr. his first All-Star game nod, and he finished a close second in MVP voting to Shohei Ohtani. That's right, if not for Shohei Ohtani being the second coming of Babe Ruth, Guerrero Jr. would be the reigning MVP going into 2022.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. equalled his legendary father, Vladimir Guerrero Sr., in MVP voting, making them the first father-son duo to do so, as reported by MLB Stats via a tweet.
Even though Vlad Guerrero Jr. didn’t win MVP, he still made history. https://t.co/Bs3DiJlP2j
"Even though Vlad Guerrero Jr. didnt win MVP, he still made history." - @ MLB Stats
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s stellar 2021 campaign was one for the ages
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led the MLB in three offensive categories: home runs, runs and total bases. Leading the MLB in any category is impressive, leading in three in one season is what makes a superstar, a superstar. If that wasn't impressive enough, Guerrero Jr. led the American League in slugging percentage with .601. Just absolutely absurd numbers from the 23-year-old first baseman.
In just his third season in the league, Vladdy cemented himself as the player for the Toronto Blue Jays to build around going forward. While the Blue Jays just narrowly missed the playoffs, finishing 91-71, they look to win a very competitive American League East from the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees in 2022.