Guerrero out four weeks
Jays are prescribing rest to top prospect as he deals with patella tendon issue
A franchise gem, placed back in its velvet-lined box for safekeeping. Nah. But hearts were understandably apounding with the news on Sunday that to-drool-for-prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be on the disabled list for, at minimum, the next four weeks.
That brings a screeching halt to the monster season the tiffany prospect 19year-old had been enjoying — he had a slash line of .409/.457/.667 with 11 home runs and 20 walks, versus 21 strikeouts, in 53 games at Double-A New Hampshire.
It also simultaneously silences, at least for now, the caterwauling from fans to bring Guerrero up to the mothership much sooner rather than much later.
And it messes with imminent plans to have the brash basher Guerrero matriculated to Triple-A Buffalo, rapidly.
The culprit: A strain to the teenager’s left patella tendon. That’s the tissue that attaches the bottom of the knee cap to the top of the shinbone, in case you were wondering.
Guerrero twice was taken out of games with the Fisher Cats over a five-day stretch. He left a game last Saturday after arriving awkwardly at first base, appearing to injure his knee. But he was restored to the lineup on Tuesday. He had a second early exit in Wednesday’s 7-6 win over Akron, this time lamed when sliding into second.
The dreadlocked third baseman was sent to Florida where diagnostic testing was conducted over the weekend.
The Jays said Guerrero would be treated “conservatively, including initial rest” over the next month, which means carefully, delicately, nothing that might aggravate the injury rather than promote healing. He will be “re-evaluated” after four weeks.
He is being handled like precious porcelain, for obvious reasons. Guerrero — for whom a whole city, perhaps a whole country, pines — is ranked as the No. 2 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline, behind only Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr. Other sick-bay news: Third baseman Josh Donaldson (left calf tightness) but is eligible to return but will have to pass a base-running test before being cleared to play.
The former American League MVP has been fielding ground balls and taking batting practice with the Jays.
The oft-injured Steve Pearce (strained oblique) is scheduled to face live pitching this week. There’s a slim possibility the veteran might be ready to begin a rehab assignment by the end of the week.
Right-hander Marcus Stroman (right shoulder) is set to make another start on Wednesday, though the Jays have yet to determine where that will occur.
He tossed three innings in a simulated game on Friday.
Second baseman Devon Travis was held out of a second consecutive game Sunday. Manager John Gibbons said Travis had a sore knee after a Friday collision with outfielder Kevin Pillar.