Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has withdrawn from the World Baseball Classic due to right knee discomfort.
Guerrero was scheduled to leave the Blue Jays after Sunday’s game to join the Dominican Republic team. They open the World Baseball Classic against Venezuela on March 11.
Guerrero suffered the injury while running the bases during the first inning of Friday’s spring training game.
The 23-year-old Guerrero played 160 games last season and hit .274 with 32 homers and 97 RBIs for the Blue Jays.
The Dominican squad with Guerrero was arguably the favorite to win the tournament. They still boast a loaded roster of talent, including Manny Machado, Juan Soto, Wander Franco and Rafael Devers, to compete with anyone in the field.
Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Photo courtsey of MLB.com
