ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remembers running to third base and hearing from Andres Gimenez as he returned to the dugout, but is only familiar with the details of a collision with George Lombard Jr. — that left him with a concussion —through video.
“When I ran to home plate, I was out, completely,” the Toronto Blue Jays first baseman said in an interview this week. “I remember seeing Gimenez and he said, ‘Keep your head up.’ Other than that, I remember nothing.”
Guerrero has since made steady progress from his first serious concussion — he said he suffered a minor one while playing winter ball with Escogido in 2017 — improving enough to be cleared for a rehab game Thursday with low-A Dunedin.
He ripped an RBI double, walked twice and scored in three plate appearances before calling it a night. Next, the plan was for him, barring setbacks, to travel Friday and start at first base Saturday against the New York Yankees.
“We'll see how it goes and hopefully Saturday he can be back with us,” manager John Schneider said in the morning.
The assignment comes after Guerrero resumed working out Tuesday and Wednesday with the Blue Jays at Tropicana Field, once his symptoms began to ease during Monday’s off-day.
On Friday, after Lombard’s knee and thigh slammed into his head, Guerrero said he experienced headaches and dizziness so bad, the post-game music and lights in the clubhouse were uncomfortable and he couldn’t drive home.
He felt continued symptoms as soon as he woke up the next day and was concerned initially, but some conversations with others who had suffered concussions eased his mind.
Following a full slate of activities Wednesday, he said, “now I feel way better.”
“A little bit tired, but that's part of this,” Guerrero continued. “I've been talking with a lot of players that have had concussions and they told me that you're going to feel a little bit tired, maybe you're going to feel a bit dizzy, but it's nothing serious. As of now, I don't feel dizzy. I just feel a little bit tired.”
Guerrero will need to clear a series of tests to gain Major League Baseball’s approval to come off the concussion injured list. This is the first IL stint of his big-league career, and he’s missed 14 games so far this season, after only missing 18 total from 2020 through 2025.
More injury updates
Schneider also provided a slew of player updates on Thursday aside from Guerrero Jr., including information on the status of outfielder Brett Bateman. The Blue Jays rookie was removed from Wednesday's 7-6 win over the Tampa Bay Rays due to right hamstring tightness, but an MRI on Thursday "didn't show anything structurally bad," per Toronto's bench boss.
According to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi, Bateman could be available off the bench on Thursday. The 24-year-old was part of the return package from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Kevin Gausman, and has made 11 MLB appearances this season, all with Toronto. Bateman has slashed .271/.314/.313 in that span.
Meanwhile, starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti "is on track to pitch tomorrow if we need him" against the Yankees, Schneider told reporters.
"See how we get through today, but he could very well be a part of tomorrow."
The Blue Jays have yet to announce a starter for Friday's tilt against the Yankees, and are still deciding who'll take the mound. Dylan Cease and Jose Soriano are slated for starts on Saturday and Sunday.
As for Arrighetti, the righty has been on the 15-day IL dealing with Morton's neuroma in his right foot — the expectation is that he will have to pitch through some discomfort down the stretch for the Blue Jays.
Arrighetti recently threw 3.2 innings and 50 pitches in a rehab start with triple-A Buffalo on Sunday, and according to Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling, "felt good" through a bullpen outing on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old joined Toronto at the trade deadline after starting the season with the Houston Astros, coming back in the Daulton Varsho deal. He's yet to make his Blue Jays debut since the move in early August.
Toronto takes on Tampa Bay on Thursday with hopes of securing a three-game series win and continuing a climb up the standings. The Blue Jays enter the day one game back of the final wildcard spot in the American League.
— with files from Sportsnet staff
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