RBI machine Vlad Guerrero Jr. makes Jays history

There was never any doubt about the talent of Vlad Guerrero Jr., the Blue Jays’ batting machine.

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His home runs are incredible, and his hard-hit balls are abundant. But it’s Guerrero’s ability to score runs that has earned him last place in Jays history.

With an RBI single in the seventh inning of the Jays’ 7-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, Guerrero reached .500 in that statistical category and became the youngest Toronto player to do so.

“He’s got a special talent,” said Jays pitcher Jose Berrios, who admires his teammate’s batting ability. “It’s his attitude. He’s always positive, like he’s going to get hit by any pitcher. He’s a smart guy and a smart hitter. The ability that God gave him is special.”

Guerrero reached .500 as a 25-year-old, more than two years younger than the previous Jays player to reach that standard, Lloyd Mosby. Additionally, the Montreal native became just the 12th player in franchise history to record 500 RBIs in Toronto, doing so in 806 games.

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Blue Jays manager John Schneider agrees with Berrios’ assessment of his great hitter and his ability to go beyond just hitting home runs.

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“He’s special, man,” Schneider said. “He’s really excelled again this year, taking it to a different level offensively. He knows how to hit, he knows how to score, it’s kind of a lost art. You could have predicted that when he was young, but seeing him do what he’s doing now, he’s matured as a player and as a batsman. I’m really happy about that.”

“The way the industry viewed RBI has changed a little bit — it used to be average, and homers and RBIs (were more important). But you see guys who have a ton of homers — 30 homers, 60 RBIs — that shows you some of the gaps. I think guys who score consistently are good hitters, and I think Vladdy fits into that category.”

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