Big Papi celebrates Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Blue Jays organization for Yankees win

The Toronto Blue Jays have advanced to the American League Champions Series with a comprehensive 3-1 series win over the New York Yankees.

Across the four games of the series Vladimir Guerrero Jr. put up nine hits, including three home runs, and was a key part of the Blue Jays’ progression in the postseason.

“The job’s not finished,” Guerrero Jr. told reporters after the game. “We’ve got eight more to go.”

On the Fox Sports coverage, Guerrero Jr. was singled out for praise for his performances. Speaking on the broadcast David Ortiz, better known as Big Papi, made clear that Guerrero Jr. is the centerpiece of this team.

He said: “Every team needs a superstar that you can build players around. And the whole talk beginning of this year in the Blue Jays office, Marc Shapiro and the whole organization, was about signing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. That was the whole talk.”

“Matter of fact, at some point he was like, ‘Hey, listen, if the season begins, I’m not going to talk about contract. We get it done now or it’s not going to happen throughout the season’. Well, they signed the perfect guy to build players around."

Back in January Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays narrowly avoided salary arbitration by agreeing a new $28.5 million salary. In April he put pen to paper on a monster 14-year, $500 million contract extension to commit his future to the team. It was a brave decision from the front office but one that is paying off.

Ortiz said of the Blue Jays: “I mean, if you watch how those guys executed, you always, as a player, you always want to learn from the best. And watching this ball club hit, there is no doubt that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had showed that whole team how to put it together, combined with a hitting coach who is doing an unbelievable job.”

“The whole organization took a huge step and move on to where they are right now based on that move.”

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