Vlad Guerrero Jr. Rebuts Claim He's Never Lifted Weights Before

Arash Madani of Sportsnet Canada stunned the masses this week when he claimed Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. told him that he's never worked out or lifted weights in the gym before.

If that doesn't sound right, your ears are tuned to the right wavelengths.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. admitted to me: “I’ve never worked out at the gym before, I’ve never lifted weights before.” That, he says, will change this off-season, where he insists “my priority is definitely playing third.” Here's the full story, as we just shared on the broadcast -- pic.twitter.com/li3q5YyZIY
— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) September 21, 2019

What?

Well, if you believe in second chances to make a first impression, Vladdy Jr. spoke through a different reporter later in the week, and wanted to make sure that the public knows that he does work on his body.

Vlad Guerrero Jr. says a recent report that he “never” went in a gym or lifted weights was wrong. He says he does lift in-season but has not done it in the Dominican in the offseason. Will start doing so this offseason. /1
— John Lott (@LottOnBaseball) September 23, 2019

So, the 20-year-old being foreign to the weight room isn't true, as he does lift during the season. However, Guerrero Jr. did admit that he hasn't done it in the offseason down in the Dominican Republic, prior to 2019.

Well, that's going to change once the 2019 season ends.

Guerrero opened a scrum today in the dugout with a statement to “clarify” the situation. “He was misunderstood,” interpreter Hector Lebron said. “No, no,” Vlad interjected, with a retort in Spanish. Lebron then said: “It was written the wrong way.” /3
— John Lott (@LottOnBaseball) September 23, 2019

In Madani's defense, Guerrero admits there might've been a misunderstanding.

Vladdy Jr. did say that he expects to change his conditioning program so he can get through the entirety of a big league season. He wants to build more stamina, which will obviously do him a lot of good in 2020.

It seemed crazy to think that the big man had never picked up weights or gone to a gym. Yes, some guys are naturally strong, but all you have to do is look at Guerrero Jr. once and realize he's a big boy who's maximized his musculature. If he further figures things out from a conditioning standpoint this offseason, look for him to bust out next season for the Blue Jays, and stay consistent.