Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was removed from the game after a collision at third base resulted in him taking a knee to the head. The incident occurred in the bottom of the sixth inning during the Blue Jays' 3-1 victory over the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre.
During the play, with runners on first and second and one out, a ground ball was hit to third baseman Ryan McMahon. McMahon stepped on third base for the force out on Nathan Lukes and then threw to first to attempt a double play. However, the throw was in the dirt, and first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. could not make the catch, with his glove flying off. Guerrero, who had been on first base, attempted to advance to third on the error.
Garcia recovered the ball and threw to third, but no infielder was covering the bag. Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. was approaching the base when Garcia's throw went into foul territory. As Lombard converged on the errant throw, he collided with Guerrero, kneeing him in the head and dislodging his helmet.
Despite the impact, Guerrero managed to score the tying run for the Blue Jays. He was then attended to by teammates and trainers before making his way to the dugout and was subsequently removed from the game. Manager John Schneider stated that Guerrero had "a little bit of a headache" and that his removal was precautionary. The team will monitor his condition for the following day.
McMahon and Garcia were both charged with errors on the play, which contributed to the Blue Jays tying the game. Guerrero, who signed a 14-year contract extension worth $500 million last season, has had a statistical down year, hitting .263 with seven home runs and 46 RBIs. His performance is notably lower than in previous seasons, where he has consistently hit at least 23 home runs. The Blue Jays, currently pursuing a Wild-Card spot in the American League, will hope to have Guerrero back in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Yankees.