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Two All-Stars who won’t be facing off in next week’s Midsummer Classic will go head-to-head Wednesday afternoon when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays close a three-game interleague series against Logan Webb and the San Francisco Giants.
The teams split lopsided affairs the past two nights, with the Giants rolling to a 10-1 win in the opener before the Blue Jays got even with a 9-3 thumping in the rematch.
Guerrero has struggled in the series, going 1-for-8 with two strikeouts and a walk. He also grounded into two double plays on Tuesday, one of which scored Toronto’s final run.
He has now gone 16 straight games without a home run, a stretch in which he is hitting just .194 (12-for-62). For the season, he has just four homers after averaging 31.8 annually over the previous five campaigns.
Named a starter for the American League in the All-Star Game, Guerrero declined the honor in order to take time off and rest an ailing back. He was an All-Star in each of the previous five seasons.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider is proud his slugging first baseman is putting the team first despite Toronto’s status as the third-place club in the AL East.
“It’s a sign of Vlad growing up,” Schneider told reporters earlier on the club’s trip. “(He) wanted to definitely recognize how thankful he was but wanted to do what’s best for us.”
Guerrero and Webb both participated in the 2024 and 2025 All-Star Games. Webb pitched the third inning in each contest but never faced Guerrero.
In regular-season play, Webb has limited Guerrero to a double and a single with two strikeouts in nine at-bats.
Webb (5-6, 3.66 ERA) had gone 0-3 in those games — the only three appearances he has made against Toronto in his career — while pitching to a 9.00 ERA.
The reigning National League Pitcher of the Month is coming off his worst effort of the season to start July. Webb was bombed for seven runs on 11 hits in three innings during a 15-3 loss at Colorado on Friday.
He hopes to be supported by a team that rebounded from its previous three losses with wins, scoring 22 runs in those victories.
The fact that the Giants haven’t produced a winning streak of more than three games this season, however, has manager Tony Vitello puzzled.
“If I had the answer, we’d be in a lot better spot,” he responded when asked about his club’s lack of sustained momentum. “If I could put one finger on it, it would be a discussion point and maybe we’d do something about it. I don’t think it’s any one thing.”
Dylan Cease (5-4, 2.79), who will represent the defending AL champs at the All-Star Game along with reliever Louis Varland and second baseman Ernie Clement, will get the ball for the Blue Jays on Wednesday as they attempt to break even on a six-game trip to Seattle and San Francisco.
The right-hander opened the trip with a 2-0 win against the Mariners on Friday, allowing just three hits and one walk in seven innings while striking out nine.
Cease owns a 4-3 record and a 3.59 ERA in eight career starts against the Giants.
–Field Level Media
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