Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will not be seeing action in the 2026 MLB All-Star Game.
The Toronto Blue Jays star slugger has been named a starter for the 96th edition of the mid-season classic, but he has turned down the invitation to focus on the second half of the campaign.
“It’s very difficult for me,” Guerrero said of his decision to skip the All-Star game, via Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi. “But I really have to take care of myself and I’ve got to put my team first for the second half.”
It has been a tough season so far for Guerrero, who is not having his best year at the plate. Through 84 games played, Guerrero has hit just .265/.346/.346 and posted a mediocre .692 OPS. He only has four home runs and 17 RBIs through Saturday.
Guerrero’s struggles with his bat have clearly affected the Blue Jays, who are 12 games off the top of the American League East standings with a 42-47 record after losing to the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, 11-0.
The reigning AL champions can still turn things around in the second half, and doing so will almost certainly require the six-time MLB All-Star Guerrero to perform like his old self.
