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Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. smashes career-long homer vs. Rangers

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. totaled five hits through his first 11 at-bats this season. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
1 of 5 | Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. totaled five hits through his first 11 at-bats this season. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

April 11 (UPI) -- Vladimir Guerrero put the baseball world on notice his potential MVP award with his first home run of 2022, smashing the solo shot a career-long 467 feet in a Toronto Blue Jays loss to the Texas Rangers.

Guerrero hit the home run in the third inning of the 12-6 setback Sunday at Rogers Centre in Toronto. The projected American League MVP contender went 1 for 3 with an RBI, a run scored, a walk and a strikeout in the loss.

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"If it wasn't for that wall, I don't know how far that was going to go," Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo told reporters. "That's fun to watch. I never really look at miles per hour, but I think that was 118.

"That's just not easy to do. I don't know how many people can do that. He's one of them."

The Blue Jays won two of three games in the season-opening series. Guerrero is hitting .455 (5 for 11) through a dozen plate appearances. He led MLB with 48 home runs, 363 total bases and 123 runs scored last season.

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The Blue Jays took a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the third when Guerrero stepped to the plate to lead off the inning. The All-Star first baseman settled in against Rangers starter Spencer Howard.

The right-handed pitcher missed the strike zone with a fastball outside on his first offering of the exchange. Guerrero fouled off his second pitch, another fastball outside.

Howard's final pitch of the exchange was a cutter over the middle of the plate. Guerrero sent that up-in-the-zone offering into the second deck of seats in left field.

The blast left his bat at 117.9 mph and left the field in 4.8 seconds, according to Statcast. The solo shot was the hardest-hit home run by a Blue Jays player since Statcast started measurements in 2015.

Unfortunately for the Blue Jays, that was their last run of the game. The Rangers responded with a six-run seventh inning and never trailed again.

Left fielder Nick Solak, catcher Jonah Heim and pinch hitter Brad Miller each homered for the Rangers. Solak went 2 for 3 with four runs scored, two walks and an RBI. Heim went 2 for 3 with three RBIs, two walks and two runs scored. Miller went 2 for 3 with four RBIs and two runs scored.

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Designated hitter George Springer, third baseman Matt Chapman and catcher Danny Jansen collected two hits apiece for the Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays (2-1) will face the New York Yankees (2-1) in the first matchup of a four-game series at 7:05 p.m. EDT Monday at Yankee Stadium.

The Rangers (1-2) will host the Colorado Rockies (2-1) in the first matchup of a two-game series at 4:05 p.m. EDT Monday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

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