Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been cleared to return to the lineup after a brief stint on the seven-day injured list. He is set to play against the New York Yankees on Saturday.
Guerrero sustained an injury during a game against the Yankees last week following a collision with New York’s rookie shortstop, George Lombard Jr., in an unusual play at third base during the sixth inning. Despite the incident which led to his helmet coming off, Guerrero managed to score a crucial run before leaving the game.
After passing his final concussion evaluations on Friday, Guerrero rejoined the team. He also participated in batting practice after a successful outing in a minor league rehab game with single-A Dunedin on Thursday.
Following a 3-1 loss to the Yankees in the series opener on Friday, Guerrero was placed second in the batting lineup for Saturday’s game. The Blue Jays made room for his return by sending infielder/outfielder Davis Schneider to triple-A Buffalo.
With a batting average of .263, seven home runs, and 46 RBIs, Guerrero has been a key player for the Blue Jays this season. Prior to his injury, he was on a hot streak, hitting .310 in his last seven games.