TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays, at least through the first month of the 2026 season, have found a capable clean-up batter to hit behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
With Guerrero aboard in the sixth inning, Jesus Sanchez smashed a two-run homer to right field to break a tie and lift the Blue Jays to a 4-2 win in the rubber match of their three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday.
Sanchez’s game-winning knock was his first go-ahead homer with Toronto and first go-ahead longball since Aug. 26, 2025, as a Houston Astros outfielder. He also knocked in a run in the Blue Jays’ two-run first inning with a sacrifice fly to left field.
“You have to adapt and be ready for any moment because he gets on base almost all of the time,” the 28-year-old Sanchez said when asked what it’s like to hit behind Guerrero.
The Blue Jays acquired Sanchez from the Astros on Feb. 13 in exchange for outfielder Joey Loperfido. Sanchez split last season between Houston and the Miami Marlins.
He credits his strong start to shedding a bad habit of trying to pull the ball too much last season.
His latest homer came off right-handed Cleveland starter Slade Cecconi. Against righties, Sanchez has hit .274 with three doubles, four home runs and 14 RBI.
“He has damage potential,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “I think that against right-handed pitching, we like him a lot.
“He’s understanding when to throttle it back. That at-bat was great. He was down 0-2 and battled. He got a hanger. He’s a talented man.”
Sanchez’s three-RBI afternoon came on the seventh anniversary of Guerrero’s Major League Baseball debut with the Blue Jays. Guerrero celebrated with a three-hit outing and was robbed of a fourth blow in the eighth inning because of a leaping grab by Cleveland left-fielder Angel Martinez.
While Kazuma Okamoto leads the Blue Jays with five homers, one ahead of Sanchez, Guerrero has just two through the first four weeks. Maybe his double off the right-field wall and his long, hard-hit fly in the eighth are a good sign he’s coming around, too.
“I go back to his at-bat (on Saturday), where he walked with a three-two count,” Schneider said. “He was just controlling the zone there. When Vladimir is in a position to hit, he can do things that not a lot of people can.
“I think when you saw the singles, he’s probably a little bit tied up with his hands. It happens to every hitter, and when he’s synced up, he’s really good. And I thought his at-bats today, were really, really high quality.”
BULLPEN RELIEF
After starter Patrick Corbin allowed the tying run in the fifth inning, he gave way to another strong outing from the bullpen with relievers Braydon Fisher (1-0), Tyler Rogers, Jeff Hoffman and Louis Varland combining for 5 1/3 scoreless innings.
Varland earned his third career save and has gone 3 for 3 in his save opportunities.
“His stuff is electric,” Corbin said. “He’s a competitor.
“With his type of stuff, he can be a closer for a long time.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2026.
Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press
