Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero: Healthy to begin spring

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Guerrero acknowledged Tuesday that he played through nagging injuries for most of 2023, but he spent the offseason getting into better shape in an effort to stay in one piece through the long season, Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic reports. "I achieved all the goals that I wanted to achieve," Guerrero said. "Of course, being in shape like I used to be, like I felt before in previous years, and I really believe that I achieved that goal. And I feel great right now."

The first baseman dealt with knee and wrist issues last year, and while he missed only six games, he wasn't often playing at 100 percent. "If I tell you that I didn't play with pain in a lot of games, I would be lying," he said. "But that's not an excuse. It's part of the game. Sometimes you got to go on the field and grind, even if everything hurts. Also, I probably won't blame that because I didn't have the best preparation in the offseason last year." Guerrero seems to have learned his lesson when it comes to offseason prep, as he reported to camp both trimmer and stronger. If improved fitness translates into better results at the plate, the 24-year-old could recapture the MVP-level form he displayed in 2021.