Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will not take the field Tuesday against the New York Mets after being pulled from the starting lineup due to back tightness.
The team had already submitted its lineup card with Guerrero listed, but roughly an hour and a half before the opening pitch, the Blue Jays announced he would not play.
This is not the first time Guerrero’s back has caused him to sit out this season. He missed two straight games against the New York Yankees in mid-June when the same issue flared up.
With Guerrero out, the lineup underwent several changes. Sean Keys, who was originally set to start at third base, shifted over to first base to cover. Luis Urias was added to the lineup at second base, while Ernie Clement moved into the third base spot.
Guerrero has had a slower-than-usual offensive year, posting a .268 batting average with just four home runs and 34 RBIs across 81 games. The slugger, a five-time All-Star, has hit at least 23 home runs in each of the past five consecutive seasons.
