The Toronto Blue Jays are suffering from a lack of a power bat this season, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr navigating a hitting slump. He has gone 0-for-14. The Blue Jays’ playoff hopes depend on his next swing. If Guerrero Jr. gets his swing back, it will restore the heavy hitting that carried Toronto to the 2025 playoffs. For now, manager John Schneider is standing by his first baseman.

“I want him (Guerrero Jr) to keep going, keep understanding he’s the face of our team. He’s our best hitter,” Schneider told Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. “It’s going to come around for him. It takes a game. It takes a swing.”

Schneider’s confidence signals the team will not bench Guerrero Jr. despite the slump, betting on his recovery. Guerrero Jr. has faced tough slumps in past seasons and always bounced back, which is why the team trusts him to figure it out again.

After a 23-homer season last year, he has only driven three long balls till now, as the season nears its halfway mark. He went scoreless in back-to-back games, including against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday. The Blue Jays lost the game 5-2. In the eighth inning against the Phillies, Guerrero Jr had a chance to contribute. With Brad Keller pitching for the Phillies, the Blue Jays put runners on first and second with Guerrero Jr being the tying run. But the first baseman failed, as he ultimately struck out swinging on a sweeper from Keller. The inning ended scoreless as the Phillies’ reliever retired Kazuma Okamoto to record the last out.

Guerrero has recorded a .268 slugging percentage in the last seven games. But Schneider believes that he will recover.

Alongside Guerrero Jr, Springer is also slumping, as he has not recorded any hits in his last three games. The Guerrero-Springer duo, which propelled the Blue Jays to the 2025 postseason with 55 home runs, has only clocked eight so far.

Right now, the Blue Jays are in third place in the AL East. They have lost six of their last ten games. Still, only one game separates Toronto from the AL Wild Card spot. They are fighting to stay in the race while missing some of their key players due to injury, including Addison Barger and Daulton Varsho. Manager Schneider has provided a progress report on the two.

John Schneider shares Addison Barger and Daulton Varsho’s update

The Blue Jays’ extensive injured list of players also includes Addison Barger and Daulton Varsho. However, their IL stint might come to an end as the two outfielders are on the right track to recovery.

After having a breakout season in 2025, Barger has only made 9 appearances as injuries have hampered him. After an IL stint due to an ankle injury, the Blue Jays again placed Barger on the 10-day IL retroactive to May 10. This time, he was suffering from right elbow inflammation.

According to Schneider via Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi, the 26-year-old is ramping up his hitting and “making progress” in Dunedin, Florida. Before he returns to the MLB scenario, Barger has to clear live batting practice and a minor league rehab assignment.

Meanwhile, Varsho’s status remains day-to-day as he recovers from left wrist discomfort. He was playing well before the injury, hitting .256. Despite his wrist feeling sore, Varsho has practiced hitting with a pitching machine, per Schneider.

“Daulton Varsho hit ‘with some pretty good intensity’ off the pitching machine today, and he’s feeling better but still feels the soreness in his wrist. He’s reaching the point where ‘you got to kind of figure out, can you go, can you not, but he’s trending in the right direction,’ said Schneider,” Davidi wrote on X.

When Varsho and Barger come back, it will really help the team. Their return will give the lineup a much-needed boost while veterans like Guerrero Jr. and Springer work through their slumps.

The Blue Jays must win Tuesday’s game to avoid a series loss against the Phillies.