Hitting streak over, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. leads Jays in opposition to Angels

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. looks to start a new hitting streak when the Toronto Blue Jays open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night in Anaheim, Calif.

Guerrero had a career-high tying 22-game streak end Sunday when he was hitless in four at-bats during an 8-4 home loss to the Oakland Athletics. Guerrero also had a 22-game hitting streak in 2022.

Guerrero batted .494 (40-for-81) with 10 homers, 11 doubles and 22 RBIs during a streak that began on July 14 in the final game before the All-Star break.

“I’ve seen Vlad do some cool things over the years,” said manager John Schneider, the Blue Jays’ manager for the past two-plus seasons. “That stretch right there was pretty high up there.”

Guerrero had six three-hit outings and one four-hit game during the streak. He was hitting .284 when it started and is at .319 after Sunday’s 0-for-4. He is fourth in the majors in average.

“Pretty remarkable, honestly,” Schneider said. “When you’re in the midst of a 22-game hitting streak, usually you see days like (Saturday) kind of with a soft single to right and that’s it. But he was doing damage and having multiple hits every single night it seemed.”

Guerrero’s torrid stretch hasn’t helped the Blue Jays in the victory column, however. Toronto sits 10 games below .500 with 44 games remaining and is not part of the playoff race.

The Angels also are going nowhere at 14 games below .500.

Los Angeles went 3-3 on a six-game road trip that began by taking two of three from the New York Yankees. The Angels lost the first two games against the Washington Nationals before salvaging the finale 6-4 on Sunday.

Los Angeles infielder Brandon Drury has endured a down season but reached base five times during the series against Washington. He walked three times on Sunday and had two RBIs on Saturday.

Drury, who has is batting .157, recently went 1-for-28 over a nine-game stretch.

“I’ve had some really bad seasons in the past and I found ways to make adjustments and be a good player again,” Drury said after Sunday’s victory. “For now I’m just looking for that little adjustment to click. Hopefully the last few games is the start to that. I’m waiting to start driving some balls in the gap and over the fence.”

Catcher Logan O’Hoppe also is in a deep slump and was hitless in 22 at-bats over five straight games before getting Sunday off.

O’Hoppe is batting .081 (3-for-37) with 14 strikeouts in August.

Right-hander Davis Daniel (1-3, 6.04 ERA) will start the opener for the Angels.

Daniel threw eight shutout innings to beat the Detroit Tigers in his first outing on June 27 but has since gone 0-3 with an 8.83 ERA in four starts.

Daniel, 27, lost to the Yankees on Wednesday when he gave up five runs and seven hits over 3 1/3 innings.

Angels manager Ron Washington noted that Daniel experiences consistency issues.

“I just think he has to be able to hit his spots with his pitches,” Washington told reporters. “When he leaves pitches over the middle of the plate and they’re up, he doesn’t have the velocity to get away with it. But when he’s been where he can flip his breaking ball in and put it in the spot and move his fastball around and his changeup, that’s the times he’s been good.”

Right-hander Bowden Francis (4-3, 5.44) will start for the Blue Jays. Francis received a no-decision against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday when he gave up two runs and three hits over five innings.

Francis, 28, has never faced the Angels.

Monday is the first meeting this season between the teams. They reconvene for four games in Toronto later this month.

–Field Level Media