Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has come a long way, and we aren’t necessarily talking about his bat.
He came up a few years ago, in 2019 to be exact, as a third baseman.
He was horrible with a glove on his hand, though, and he seemed ticketed for a perennial designated hitter role.
He made a concerted effort to get in shape and learn a new position, first base, ever since then.
Three years after moving to first base full-time, Guerrero won the highest praise for a fielder in the form of a Gold Glove award.
“The first 1B in #BlueJays history to win a #GoldGlove Award,” the Blue Jays’ account tweeted.
The first 1B in #BlueJays history to win a #GoldGlove Award 🏆 pic.twitter.com/b1i0Wwe352
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) November 2, 2022
Who would have thought that Guerrero would become the first man at his position to win a Gold Glove in franchise history?
John Olerud had some really strong defensive seasons at first base while playing for the Jays, but didn’t win the award with them.
Guerrero Has Worked Hard To Improve
To take home the prestigious recognition, Guerrero beat Anthony Rizzo of the New York Yankees and Luis Arraez of the Minnesota Twins.
Both had comparable numbers to those of Guerrero, or even slightly better.
But the Gold Glove that managers, coaches, and the sabermetric community gave to him is a symbol of how hard he has worked to improve his defense.
And by all accounts, the change has been noticeable.
Although he had -4 Outs Above Average this year, he also had 3 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and looked good out there.
One of the best hitters in the American League is now recognized as a top defender, too.
His fans should be so proud of him.
NEXT: Award Nomination Proves George Springer Is Not Slowing Down