Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been cleared to play after coming off the seven-day injured list and is set to return to action against the New York Yankees. Guerrero sustained an injury during a game against the Yankees last week following a collision with George Lombard Jr., a rookie shortstop from New York, during a play at third base in the sixth inning.
The incident occurred when Guerrero slid into third base, and Lombard’s knee and thigh made contact with his head, causing Guerrero’s helmet to come off. Despite the injury, Guerrero managed to score the tying run before leaving the game. After passing his final concussion tests, Guerrero rejoined the team on Friday and participated in batting practice after playing in a minor league rehab game for single-A Dunedin.
Guerrero was placed second in the batting lineup for Saturday’s game following the Blue Jays’ 3-1 loss to the Yankees in the series opener on Friday. As part of the roster adjustment, infielder/outfielder Davis Schneider was sent down to triple-A Buffalo. Guerrero, who boasts a batting average of .263 with seven home runs and 46 RBIs, had been hitting .310 in his last seven games before the collision.