Guerrero skips – Vladimir Guerrero Jr., voted as the AL starting first baseman, will skip the All-Star Game in Philadelphia for a second-half reset, citing lower back issues. Toronto’s All-Star mix will instead include Ernie Clement, plus pitchers Dylan Cease and Louis Varland
SEATTLE — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was supposed to be the headline in Philadelphia. Fans voted him the American League starting first baseman for the All-Star Game, and the Toronto Blue Jays had the reach to make it happen even during a season that has been frustrating in its own way.
Then Saturday arrived, and so did the withdrawal.
Guerrero will not travel to the Midsummer Classic for what would have been his sixth appearance. He said he needs the upcoming break to recuperate for the second half after playing through lower back issues for about a month. That decision leaves Ernie Clement — previously named to the squad as the AL’s top vote-getter — to represent the Blue Jays at first base. along with fellow first-timers Dylan Cease and Louis Varland. who were selected via the player ballot.
Toronto manager John Schneider and his coaching staff will oversee the AL team. following the Blue Jays’ American League title run last fall. The All-Star field also brings more Canadian presence. with Cleveland Guardians reliever Cade Smith. Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez. and former national team member Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers set to join the mix.
Guerrero’s situation has become hard to ignore when you look at his production. Through 84 games, he is batting .265/.346/.346 with four home runs and 35 RBIs. He has also missed five games after missing only 18 total from 2020 through 2025. How much the back issues have impacted his swing is still unclear. but he made the reason for his call plain when speaking through interpreter Hector Lebron.
“Before I take a decision like this. I always talk to my family. some of the veteran guys here. ” Guerrero said. “As you guys know, I’ve been having a little bit of issues with my lower back. That comes first, for me to get ready, to prepare myself for my team to have a strong second half. That was the main thing in my decision.”.
The timing lands especially sharply because the voting results for Guerrero were so lopsided. He beat New York Yankees counterpart Ben Rice, who had a breakout season of .267/.362/.564 with 24 home runs and 56 RBIs, by 58 per cent to 42 per cent in the second phase of balloting results.
Schneider didn’t dodge the human side of that mismatch. The manager said Guerrero’s election and the subsequent decision to withdraw both reflect what fans see when they show up.
“When people come to watch a baseball game. Vlad is one of those guys they come to see. for obvious reasons. and there are a lot of fans that like him. whether it’s in Canada or around the States or wherever. ” Schneider said. “He’s one of the faces of the game … and the way the system works, people get to represent their feelings.”.
Yet Schneider also described Guerrero’s withdrawal as “a sign of growing up.” The two discussed it in recent days. Guerrero said he’d been thinking about it for the past week, and he missed Tuesday’s game with back tightness before returning for Wednesday’s Canada Day contest.
Schneider framed it as a trade-off he believes the Blue Jays can benefit from.
“He’s the face of our franchise and he understands how important he is to us and what we’re trying to accomplish. ” Schneider said. “It shows maturity. Taking a little bit of a physical blow will be good for him and hopefully he puts his best foot forward for us after the break. He understands and respects how special it is to be voted in. but at the same time wants to do what’s best for the Jays. which I think is most important.”.
Toronto’s All-Star night didn’t end there. Cease finished second in the player voting for AL starting pitchers, trailing only Yankees ace Cam Schlittler. Cease’s final start before the break is slated for Wednesday in San Francisco. and his selection to the Midsummer Classic is tied to how the other starters’ needs shake out — with Schlittler positioned as a leading candidate.
Still, for Cease, even the possibility has long been personal.
“I’ve basically been watching every year since I was a kid,” he said. “so it’s cool to think back on that and to know that I’m able to play in it is really exciting.”
Schneider gathered the team for a quick meeting before Saturday’s 11–0 thumping from the Seattle Mariners to announce the news. When Cease addressed his teammates, he started with thanks.
The first thing Cease did was thank the club’s training staff. He described them as “an engine that makes us all go without anyone really realizing it. ” and said they help him stay in good condition while allowing him to be “more consistently thrown a wider mix of pitches” that have contributed to his success.
Varland’s route to Philadelphia was different, but the satisfaction sounded familiar. He topped all AL relievers in the player voting, finishing well ahead of Smith and Boston’s Aroldis Chapman for his first nod.
He said he saw social media posts Friday of his All-Star banner being put up in Philadelphia, but he didn’t let himself believe it until he heard official confirmation from Schneider.
“That kind of spoiled it a little bit,” Varland said. “but I guess in the past, people had banners and they didn’t make it so I wasn’t fully bought in on it. It’s not official until it comes from Schneider’s mouth, so I was really just waiting for that.”
Now that the news is official, Varland smiled when asked if he planned to lobby his manager for the ninth inning in Philadelphia, should the AL have a lead to lock down.
“It would be an honour to do it — it’s not my decision, though, so I’m going to let it play out,” he said. “But that would be pretty cool.”
The All-Star spotlight, then, will still shine on Toronto — but not in the way it was expected to. Guerrero’s election may have been the clearest message from the fans, but his decision was the clearest message from his body, and from the Blue Jays’ plans for the stretch that comes after the break.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr Blue Jays All-Star Game Philadelphia lower back issues Ernie Clement Dylan Cease Louis Varland John Schneider Cade Smith Otto Lopez Freddie Freeman Cam Schlittler