Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Reportedly Out of 2023 WBC with Knee Injury

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won't play in the World Baseball Classic due to a knee injury, per Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun.

The two-time All-Star left Friday's spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays with discomfort in his right knee.

Manager John Schneider told reporters after the game they were checking out Guerrero's knee to see how it is: "We're playing it safe at this point."

Guerrero previously committed to play for the Dominican Republic in the WBC, which begins on March 8.

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.

Guerrero played at an MVP level in 2021 with a .311/.401/.601 slash line, 48 homers and 111 RBI in 161 games. He wound up finishing second in the AL voting, behind Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani.

Last season was a step back, though Guerrero still played well to help the Blue Jays make the playoffs. He finished with a .274/.339/.480 slash line, 32 homers and 97 RBI in 160 games.

Playing in a loaded division like the AL East does make Toronto's margin for error very narrow. The New York Yankees are the reigning division champs, with the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays likely to be better this year than they were in 2022.

It doesn't sound like Guerrero is going to miss an extended period of time. The Blue Jays open the regular season on March 30 against the St. Louis Cardinals.