In the bottom of the third inning on August 18th against the Pirates, a spectacular, acrobatic stretch by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. saved an errant throw from shortstop Bo Bichette for an out. For a moment, it was just another highlight for the first-place Toronto Blue Jays. But then, it wasn’t.

Why, you wonder? Well, the 26-year-old first baseman, who signed a massive 14-year, $500 million extension in April, was abruptly pulled for a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning. The Blue Jays, a team with 73 wins on the season, went on to lose the game 5-2. But after the game, concern shifted from the loss to the health of their superstar. Manager John Schneider confirmed Guerrero felt tightness in his hamstring after the stretch.

“He’s going to get an MRI (Monday night) to just kinda rule everything out,” Schneider explained. “Hopefully he’s good to go in the next day or two, but he’s obviously really important.”

The timing of the injury could not be worse. The Blue Jays are stumbling, having lost two straight games and posting a 5-5 record in their last ten. Meanwhile, their division rivals, the New York Yankees, are surging. The “Bronx Bombers” are now on a three-game winning streak, having won seven of their last ten, and sitting just five games behind Toronto.

Aaron Judge is drawing walks and hitting for power, Ben Rice recently drove in seven runs in a single game, and their once-struggling bullpen has become a lockdown force as well.

For the Blue Jays, on the other hand, losing Guerrero Jr., even for a short time, would leave an MVP-sized hole in the Toronto lineup. Do they have enough cover?

What other options do the Blue Jays have?

Losing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would mean losing a bat that is hitting for a .298/.398/.498 slash line with 21 home runs and 69 RBIs this season. However, the Blue Jays have other options to consider at first base.

The team can turn to Ty France, a player they acquired from the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline in a four-player deal. In 2025, France has a batting average of .261 with 6 home runs and 46 RBIs. Even in his 13 games with Toronto, he has been productive, posting a .351 batting average with 13 hits.

Another internal option is utility man Ernie Clement, who is hitting .285 with 9 home runs this season. However, while both are solid players, neither can fully replace the offensive production and overall impact of Guerrero Jr. should his hamstring injury require a significant recovery period.