The Toronto Blue Jays first baseman will hit third and slot in at first base on Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies (6:05 p.m ET on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+), the team announced.
Guerrero missed the last three games with hamstring tightness. This has been Guerrero’s personal record for games missed in a season, with Friday being the ninth time he was out of the lineup in 2026.
“The work part has been more than it ever has been over the course of his career, and that’s playing into the physical part where, you know, the hammy’s a little bit tired as he goes,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said of Guerrero Jr.’s workload and struggles during an appearance on Sportsnet 590’s Blair & Barker.
The Blue Jays are in the middle of a stretch of 17 straight games, and 30 in 31 days. Guerrero also sat on July 29 due to right hamstring tightness sustained the previous night.
“Yeah, he’s banged up a little bit, but at no point is it to the point where it’s really affecting him,” Schneider said. “Whenever he’s in there, we feel like he’s good enough to be the best version of him.”
The 27-year-old has posted the worst offensive numbers of his career so far in 2026, with just six home runs, 44 RBI and a .687 OPS.
Guerrero is in the first season of a 14-year, $500-million contract that runs until he is 40 years old.
Meanwhile, it was later announced that George Springer was a late scratch from Saturday’s game after originally being slated to start at DH. The veteran was ruled out with left shoulder tightness which he’s been dealing with for a couple of days, according to Schneider.
Springer, 36, has played in 86 games this season, slashing .234/.317/.396 in that span to go with 12 homers, 36 RBI and eight stolen bases.
Jesus Sanchez was moved into the DH spot for Springer and Myles Straw was inserted into the lineup in left field.