MLB

Vladimir Guerrero shared a heartwarming tribute to his son ahead of his MLB debut

Guerrero Jr. could break Danny Ainge's record for youngest Blue Jay to hit a home run.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. alongside his father as a child. Guerrero shared the picture and wrote, "The country that saw you little now will see you become a big one." Vladimir Guerrero/Twitter

By Mark Dunphy

2 minutes to read

On Friday, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will make his MLB debut for Toronto against Oakland.

The 20-year old was the top prospect in the minor leagues before the Blue Jays called him up to be their starting third baseman. Guerrero Jr. will wear No. 27. His father wore the same number for the Los Angeles Angels, who retired the digits in his honor.

Guerrero Jr. arrived to the ballpark Friday sporting a replica of his father’s Montreal Expos jersey.

”Since I was a kid I was running around with my dad in the clubhouse in Montreal,” he said. ”I just wanted to bring that back today.”

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Guerrero Sr. offered a touching tribute to his son ahead of the debut. In a video shared by the MLB, the Dominican Republic native addresses his son in Spanish:

I knew your name long before I met you. My first son was always going to be Junior. There’s pressure with that, but the name was my choice, the rest were yours.

I didn’t know when I gave you my name, that I’d also give you my swing or even my love of the game. I am so proud of you, my son. You never lost focus, never lost patience, and your joy never wavered.

That’s why you’re here, and that’s why you’ll stay. Not for my name. Not for my swing. But your choice, every day, to play. I knew you were special the moment I met you, and now the world will know, too. I can’t wait to watch you play.

Love, Dad.

Guerrero Sr., the 2004 AL MVP, was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. His fellow Dominican Hall of Famer, former Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez, also wished Junior luck in his debut.

“God bless you and protect and fill you with long days in the major leagues,” Martinez said.

If Guerrero Jr. bashes a home run Friday, he will be the youngest Blue Jay to ever do so. Who’s record will he break? Danny Ainge. Before he became Celtics star turned general manager, Ainge was a 20-year-old Blue Jay who hit two home runs during his three-season MLB career.