Ex-Toronto Blue Jays player calls out Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s performance

There wasn't much to cheer about Thursday night at Toronto's Rogers Centre.

The Blue Jays fell 13-2 to the Kansas City Royals, an abysmal showing which included another hitless night from supposed star Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Guerrero went 0-for-3 with a walk, and boos rained down on him after a groundout in the bottom of the sixth. On the broadcast, when Guerrero heard the boos, he appeared to laugh them off as he jogged off the field.

The apparent lack of accountability didn't sit well with the Toronto crowd, and it even prompted a former Blue Jays player to call him out for it.

"I get that Vlad Guerrero Jr. is a lovable guy and the face of the franchise, but this fan base has expectations, and he has not met those expectations," said Kevin Pillar during the eighth inning on Sportsnet's broadcast.

Superman Kevin Pillar makes it clear @BlueJays: pic.twitter.com/CQJCMM575j

— Larry Kozy (@LSKinYYC) August 28, 2026

"Do I think [the boos] are the best way to get him going? Maybe not, but fans have the right to be frustrated at this point in the season."

Through 16 games this month, Guerrero is hitting an abysmal .231 with a team-low OPS of .572. He has also gone a full year without hitting a regular-season home run at Rogers Centre.

Pillar played parts of seven seasons in Toronto between 2013 and 2019 and was a fan favourite during his time here. He now serves as an analyst with Sportsnet.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr seen laughing running back to the dugout after grounding out with the Blue Jays down 10-0

Loud boos came from the Toronto fans 😬 pic.twitter.com/4Q9Fxa2LPi

— Punchoutpitch (@Punchoutpitch) August 28, 2026

With 27 games left, the Blue Jays sit 3.5 games back of an American League Wild Card spot with a 65-70 record. Toronto's next two series against the Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Guardians will be crucial to its playoff hopes.

The Blue Jays will likely need to win both three-game series to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Guardians currently hold the Wild Card spot Toronto is chasing and have won eight of their last 10 games.