Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to sit out ASG due to back

Guerrero returns to Toronto’s lineup for Saturday’s early-afternoon matinee against the Yankees following a one-week absence due to a concussion. The positive news is that he cleared final concussion protocol after reaching base safely in all three plate appearances during a minor league rehab game for Low-A Dunedin earlier this week. He’s gone more than a calendar year without homering in the Rogers Centre and holds a calamitous .693 OPS with seven homers in 115 games heading into the final five weeks of the season.

Jays’ skipper John Schneider told reporters that the 27-year-old slugger has passed all of his concussion tests and has been cleared to return after going 1-for-1 with a double and a pair of walks in a minor league rehab game at High-A Dunedin on Thursday. Fantasy managers can anticipate having him back in lineups on Saturday.

Guerrero is on track to return from the concussion injured list for Saturday’s showdown against the Yankees. The 27-year-old first baseman figures to play a pair of minor league rehab games on Thursday and Friday before the Blue Jays decide to bring him back. It’s an extremely encouraging sign that he’s progressed to full baseball activities just a couple days after landing on the injured list.

Guerrero progressed to high-intensity running during a light workout after hitting the injured list with a concussion over the weekend. The fact that he’s been cleared to start ramping up activity seems to indicate that he’ll be ready to return at some point later this week or early next week. At the bare minimum, it’s a positive update.

Tests prior to Saturday’s game must not have gone very well. Guerrero was hurt on a play at third base Friday night against the Yankees. Rather than give Sean Keys another look, the Jays summoned Daz Cameron to replace Guerrero. Charles McAdoo is playing first base today, and Kazuma Okamoto will probably slide over there on occasion.

Guerrero Jr. is currently gong through the concussion protocol, and it’s worth noting that Daz Cameron reportedly has a locker. For now, the 27-year-old is just out of Saturday’s lineup, but fantasy managers should be prepared for a potential stint on the seven-day IL. In the meantime, Charles McAdoo will hit ninth and handle first base duties.

Guerrero was involved in an awkward collision with George Lombard Jr. at third base during the sixth inning on Friday and came away with a bit of a headache, so the team opted to err on the side of caution. Whether or not he’ll be available for the rest of the weekend will depend on how quickly he can pass through the protocol.

Guerrero collided with the third baseman as the throw was coming across the diamond in the sixth inning. The throw got away and Guerrero was able to score, but he appeared to injure himself during the collision. The Jays should have an update on his status shortly.

Guerrero returned to the lineup and put the Blue Jays on the board right away, taking Aaron Nola deep for a solo homer in the first inning. It was his first home run since July 11 and just his seventh of the season. The 27-year-old first baseman is hitting .262/.341/.358 with 58 runs scored, 46 RBI, and seven steals across 461 plate appearances.

Guerrero is back at first base and hitting third following a three-game absence due to hamstring tightness. He’s been battling the issue since last week. The 27-year-old former fantasy star continues to endure one of the more bizarre seasons in recent memory from an established upper-echelon power hitter, mustering just six homers in 108 games on the year.