After dominating the Yankees in the ALDS, Toronto has just lost two consecutive games in the ALCS and is now just two defeats away from going home. And Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s bat, which was unstoppable against the Pinstripes, has now gone silent. Aftermath? A comparison with Anthony Volpe, whose performance somewhat mirrors Vladdy’s current struggles.

History offers little hope: only the 1996 Yankees rallied from 2-0 after losing both at home. Arizona did it in 2023, but didn’t squander home-field advantage. Can Toronto defy the odds, or will it head towards elimination?

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. put up decent numbers in the ALDS. In just four games, he had a slash line of .529/.550/1.059, with 9 hits, 3 home runs, and 9 RBIs. The Blue Jays scored 34 runs against the Yankees in that series, and Guerrero was the star of the show. However, now, in the ALCS, something is off. He went 0-for-4 in Game 1 and 0-for-7 in two games. Seattle pitchers have done a great job of getting him out of his comfort zone. The overall offense’s flair has diminished, making the Jays more vulnerable.

The baseball world took notice, and social media did what it does best. A user named Mike posted on X with a simple yet devastating observation: “Vladimir Guerrero Jr. when he’s not playing the Yankees.”

The post included a picture of Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe, which set off a flood of responses. The roast began, and Volpe became collateral damage in the Vladdy criticism.

Volpe’s numbers for 2025 don’t help much. He played 153 games for New York and hit .212 with 19 home runs and 72 RBIs. The 24-year-old had only one hit in 15 at-bats against Toronto in the ALDS, and he struck out 11 times and didn’t walk. Using his image to represent Guerrero’s ALCS performance isn’t just a roast—it’s a statistical parallel fans can’t ignore.

“I’m always going to have optimism about this team,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider after Game 2’s defeat. “We’ve got to figure out a way to limit damage, one, and then, two, generate more offense.”

Schneider remains hopeful, but the fans? They’re far less forgiving. The reactions came fast, each one cutting deeper than the last.

Vlad under fire, the social media backlash

One fan captured the bewildering nature of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s splits: “It’s actually hilarious how good he is against the Yankees and how mid he is against everyone else.” The observations were based on how the same player who smashed 3 homers is now struggling to even have an RBI in the ALCS.

Another user leaned into nostalgia about how Vladdy celebrated the ALDS win against the Bronx: “He’ll always have the yankfest with Papi. daaaaa Yankees lose!” The comment recalls the viral moment between legendary David Ortiz and Guerrero Jr. following Game 4 of the ALDS. During the champagne-soaked celebration, Ortiz and Vladdy shared a moment where Guerrero shouted, “DAAAAAA YANKEES LOSE!”—a clip that dominated baseball social media for days. Now, just a week later, that celebration feels like a distant memory as Toronto stares down elimination.

The mood shifted from mockery to sympathy. One fan wrote, “This is so sad.” For a player of Guerrero’s talent, watching him strand runners and miss such pitches he normally destroys feels tragic. With his dream of winning the World Series, he is now one of the factors in the team failing short.

In the end, the Blue Jays are fighting Seattle, not X-threads. But the talk about Guerrero and the attacks on Volpe make things only worse. Can Toronto make the noise stop? Can Vlad take charge again? The next game could decide more than the series; it could decide if this whole drama finishes in success or failure.