Why Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s slugging problem is not a real concern for Blue Jays

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The Toronto Blue Jays started off the regular season on a very poor note, and while they've fought their way back into a postseason spot, this team does still have some big concerns.

An injury-riddled rotation has made for a massive trade deadline need, but arguably the biggest concern is the struggles of superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. this season at the plate.

But, as ESPN's David Schoenfield highlighted, these Guerrero problems are "not real," and the Blue Jays should feel confident that their superstar slugger will figure things out in the long-term.

Why Blue Jays problem with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is 'not real'

"Guerrero is too good to do this all season," Schoenfield writes. "... It's certainly odd for a hitter of Guerrero's strength and contact ability to go through droughts like this, but it's a recurring pattern. He'll break out of it."

While it's fair for fans to worry about Guerrero's power numbers this season, Schoenfield isn't worried whatsoever. He fully believes Guerrero will get back to normal this season.

He only has three homers this season, and his .366 slugging percentage is well below his .487 career average and the .601 slugging percentage he had back in 2021.

But one comparison between his 2026 and 2021 seasons shows a little bit of why he is struggling so much to generate power this year.

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Back in 2021, Guerrero had a fly-ball rate of 25.2%, which, compared to 2026's 18.2% fly ball rate, is a stark difference. That's not all, however, as Guerrero's pull-rate is down, as is his hard-hit-rate at 44.5%, far below the 50.6% average he's had in his career.

Add in a slightly lower exit velocity of 90.4 compared to a 92.6 average, and there are a few clear reasons why Guerrero is struggling to tap into his natural power.

Fans might be worried about Guerrero's lack of power, but those concerns are "not real" according to Schoenfield, as he believes Guerrero can get back on track this season.