The Toronto Blue Jays watched their Sunday turn into a complete disaster when both Dylan Cease and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left the game with injuries within 20 minutes of each other.
First, Cease got pulled around 1:35 p.m. ET with what appeared to be an injury issue. The nature of the problem wasn’t immediately clear, but for a guy who just signed a seven-year, $210 million deal this offseason, any injury concern is massive for Toronto.
Then things got worse.
Twenty minutes later, Guerrero took a pitch directly to his right elbow and walked straight off the field. No discussion with manager John Schneider or the trainer – Vladdy just headed to the clubhouse.
This day has turned into a nightmare for the #BlueJays
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was just hit on the insider of his right elbow by a pitch and immediately left the game.
He walked right past Schneider and the trainer, straight off the field.
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) May 24, 2026
The fact that Guerrero didn’t even try to stay in tells you everything about how that pitch felt. Getting drilled on the elbow like that – especially the back part where all those nerves run – isn’t something you shake off easily.
Sure, Guerrero’s power numbers haven’t quite clicked yet this season, but he’s still the franchise cornerstone. Losing him for any extended time would be brutal for a Blue Jays team that’s already struggling to find its rhythm.
What makes this whole situation worse is the timing. Toronto’s already playing catch-up in what’s looking like a competitive division race. Having both Cease and Guerrero dealing with injury concerns on the same day? That’s the kind of domino effect that can derail a season before it really gets going.
The Blue Jays will likely provide updates on both players soon, but losing two key pieces in one afternoon is about as rough as it gets for a team that can’t afford many more setbacks.
