AL DIVISION SERIES: YANKEES VS BLUE JAYS

October 6, 2025

Vladimir Guerrero

Yankee Stadium

Toronto Blue Jays

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. When you look at the first two games of this series, what are you most pleased with that the team around you was able to do from everything that happened?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: It feels good. It feels great about the rest of my guys. We've been doing it the whole year. Like I always say, we always trust each other, and I really like the way we've been playing together.

Q. You have Shane Bieber going for you in Game 3. You guys have gotten big contributions from Louis Varland and from others. What do you think about the moves your front office made to help the team throughout the season to put you in this place?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: Excellent job from our front office acquiring players like with a lot of experience already in the Big Leagues and players that have been helping us a lot. So a great job from the front office.

Q. What have the emotions of the last 24 hours or so been like for you, and where are you at now entering Game 3?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: My emotions are neutral right now. It's not time to celebrate. It's not time to put your head down. It's not over. There's a lot of work to do still. Until we win the third game, then I guess emotions will be different and we'll celebrate.

Q. Do you think as you've gotten older and more experienced in your career, you've gotten better staying at that neutral even in these big moments.

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: Baseball will teach you that. Obviously you cannot celebrate before things happen. You really have to wait for things to happen and keep staying focused, keep working hard. Then if you win, then you celebrate.

Q. Your journey to the Major League has been well documented. A lot of people have been hearing your name since you were 12, 13 years old. Has the journey right now to where you're at in 2025, the ALDS, lived up to everything you thought it could be?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: For myself, I feel that I accomplished a lot. My own expectations, I'm very pleased with it. I'm the kind of player that like I always say, I go out there to find a way to help my team win the game. I really don't pay attention to what other people think about my expectation, what I can do, what I can't do.

Q. Over the years, why do you think you've had such success hitting so well in Yankee Stadium?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: To be honest with you, I don't know. I don't know. I've been asked that question many times, and I always say just I feel good. I don't know. I can't really tell you why.

Q. What are the challenges that Carlos Rodón presents tomorrow?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: Yeah, Carlos, like I always say, he's an excellent pitcher, excellent human being, guy that goes out there and gives all he has, goes out there and compete. But we've just got to do the same thing, go out there and compete.

Q. 23 runs in two games, Vlady, for the offense of the Blue Jays. Is that the message that you guys are trying to send the Yankees and trying to win Game 3 here and celebrate here?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: It's not about sending messages for me. It's more just about winning. Our mentality, my mentality, the entire organization's mentality, it's to go out there and win every game. Then of course, if we can win Game 3, we'll go to the next round. But just win. It's not about sending my messages.

Q. Besides the TV commercials you do with him, could you tell me what it's like to have George Springer as a teammate? What does he mean to you?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: Somebody to look up to. George for me is like my older brother here. He's been in this position many times. I have a lot of respect for him. I'm very proud of what he has done in his career. But like I say, he's a leader too, and he's like an older brother here.

Q. The emotional swings in a baseball game during the regular season, how does that compare to the emotional swings in the playoffs, and what have you learned about handling those swings in the middle of a game?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: One pitch at a time. One at-bat at a time. One game at a time. That's my mentality on every swing. Like I say, just continue to go out there and do the best I can to help my team win. If for whatever reason I don't do the job, I've got to trust the rest of my teammates to do their job.

Q. Do you notice maybe a difference how the group is handling it now compared to 2020, '22, '23?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: Yeah, way different. I'll tell you this, today was optional for everyone here, and we're all here.

Q. A couple times you talked about how a driving force for you is wanting to win a ring for your dad. During a series like this, do you text or talk with him? If so, what is his message to you?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: Not just my dad, I also talk to my mom. I do it every day. I talk to them before the game and after the game every single day regardless of the outcome of the game, if I did good, if I did bad. I feel like I need their blessing every day to me. So I make sure that every morning or evening before I come to the park, I talk to both of them and then after.

Q. Which players came up with the idea for the home run jacket, and how did that start?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: It was an idea between all of us. They talked about it, about the idea to bring that type of home run celebration to the team. They got together, and they agreed to use the jacket, and we've been using it since.

Q. Who gets to keep it at the end of the season?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: Me. (Laughter).

I don't know if you guys noticed, in the jacket, it's Vlady -- he has his foundation, his own foundation, VG27, and it's on the jacket. At the end of the year, he always celebrates that on a gala, and they auction the jacket for his foundation to help kids and families with medical supplies in the Dominican Republic and Toronto.