Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Homers Twice in Blue Jays Spring Training Victory Over Yankees

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. announced his arrival at spring training in emphatic fashion today, launching two towering home runs to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 9-7 victory over the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. The 27-year-old first baseman drove in four runs and looked every bit the MVP candidate who carried the Blue Jays to the playoffs last season.

Guerrero's first blast came in the third inning off Yankees starter Gerrit Cole, a 430-foot bomb to right-center field that cleared the stadium's signature palm trees. The second homer, an opposite-field shot in the seventh inning against reliever Clay Holmes, traveled 415 feet and capped off a dominant performance that had Blue Jays fans in attendance buzzing with excitement. "Vlad looks locked in already," Blue Jays manager John Schneider observed. "His swing is in midseason form, and his approach at the plate shows he's ready to build on last year's success."

The offensive explosion continued a red-hot spring for Guerrero, who is now batting .478 with five home runs in seven Grapefruit League games. After a 2025 season that saw him hit 47 home runs and drive in 134 RBIs while leading Toronto to the AL Wild Card, Guerrero appears determined to take his game to even greater heights. His work with hitting coach Guillermo Martinez during the offseason has focused on maintaining his aggressive approach while improving his plate discipline against elite pitching.

The Yankees, meanwhile, received encouraging performances from several key players despite the loss. Aaron Judge went 2-for-3 with a double, showing no lingering effects from the wrist injury that sidelined him for the final weeks of last season. Gleyber Torres added a two-run single in the fifth inning, while prospect Jasson Domínguez continued his impressive spring with an RBI triple that showcased his speed and gap power.

Cole, making his third spring start, allowed five runs in four innings but manager Aaron Boone emphasized the positive aspects of the veteran right-hander's outing. "Gerrit's command was much sharper today, and his slider had good bite," Boone noted. "Vlad got him twice, but those were quality pitches that he just turned on. That's what elite hitters do to good pitches sometimes."

The victory improved the Blue Jays' spring record to 5-2, while the Yankees dropped to 4-3 in Grapefruit League play. Both teams will continue their Florida preparations with games scheduled throughout the weekend before opening the regular season on March 28th. For Guerrero and the Blue Jays, today's performance served as a reminder that they plan to be serious contenders in a competitive American League East division that features the Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles, and Boston Red Sox.