Vladimir Guerrero Jr. seems to have a knack for big hits against the New York Yankees.
Since the Toronto Blue Jays slugger reached the majors in 2019, he has played some of his best ball against the 27-time World Series champions. From 25 career home runs against New York to his 2025 postseason performance in an ALDS matchup versus the Yankees, Vlad Jr.'s sweet swing has been on display against MLB’s famed ballclub for years.
Dominance against the Yankees may run in the Guerrero family. Vladimir Guerrero Sr., the Blue Jays star's father, also had a history of success against the Yanks — from a .318 lifetime average to reportedly being pursued by New York in the 2003 free agency period.
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Here's what to know about Vlad Jr. and Sr.'s career numbers against the Yankees, plus why the Guerrero father-son duo seems to hold a grudge against New York.
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stats vs. Yankees
Here are Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s career numbers against the Yankees, including the postseason.
| Games | Hits | Runs | Home Runs | RBIs | Batting Average |
| 105 | 125 | 53 | 25 | 82 | .313 |
Guerrero Jr. owns 183 career home runs and 591 RBIs in the regular season, along with three home runs and nine RBIs in the postseason. Of those 186 home runs and 600 RBIs combined, he’s slugged 25 homers (13.4% of the total) and driven in 82 RBIs (13.7% of the total) against just one team: the Yankees.
Facing New York frequently as an AL East opponent has certainly helped, but Vlad Jr. has also delivered when it matters most. In the 2025 postseason alone, he launched three home runs in the ALDS against the defending American League champions.
VLADDY HAS HOMERED IN ALL THREE ALDS GAMES 😱pic.twitter.com/uTo0OnuMZ9
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) October 8, 2025
MORE: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s career numbers at Yankee Stadium
Vladimir Guerrero Sr stats vs. Yankees
Here are Vladimir Guerrero Sr.'s career numbers against the Yankees, including the postseason:
| Games | Hits | Runs | Home Runs | RBIs | Batting Average |
| 107 | 137 | 60 | 13 | 69 | .319 |
Guerrero Sr. only played one season in the AL East—his final 2011 campaign with the Baltimore Orioles—so he didn’t face New York as often. However, Vlad Sr. did take on the Yankees in three different postseason series as a member of the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers.
In 2005, Guerrero’s Angels beat the Yankees 3-2 in the ALDS. He went 6-for-18 in the series.
In 2009, the Angels fell to New York 4-2 in the ALCS. Despite the loss, Guerrero shone, hitting .370 with three doubles, one home run, and five RBIs. His 10 hits in the ALCS led the team.
Finally, when he joined the Rangers in 2010, Guerrero Sr. contributed to Texas’ 4-2 series victory in the ALCS. He hit .269 with seven hits, including two doubles, in the series. The Rangers went on to lose the World Series to the San Francisco Giants.
Of Guerrero Sr.’s 2,635 career hits, including the postseason, 137 came against the Yankees. The Hall of Famer hit well against most teams, of course, but he consistently came through with his bat when facing New York.
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Why does Vladimir Guerrero Sr. hate the Yankees?
While Vladimir Guerrero Sr. hasn't had any clear-cut negative comments about the Yankees, there were some connections between the former star and New York when he entered free agency in 2003. Yankees general manager reportedly almost signed Guerrero Sr., but the team backed off for another option.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., however, has made his disdain for New York much clearer. In 2023, Vlad Jr. said in an interview that he loves "crushing] 'Los Yanquistas' (Yankees fans) and the Yankees," per MLB.com. The Blue Jays star, who hadn't yet signed an extension at that time, also said "No, not even dead," when asked if he would ever play for the Yankees.
Vladdy gonna give Yankees fans nightmares for a long time
— Barstool Baseball (@StoolBaseball) November 5, 2022
"I like to play in New York, I like to kill the Yankees. I would never sign with the Yankees, not even dead." https://t.co/2a50blVnDF
Vlad Jr. also claimed that the Yankees resentment came from his family.
“It’s a personal thing. It goes back with my family,” Guerrero said through a club interpreter, per MLB.com. “That’s my decision, and I will never change that.”
However, Vlad Jr. backtracked on his comments about the Yankees later on. Per ESPN, he said in June 2024 that he spoke to his father about the storyline.
“Sometimes one says things. It is not that I am trying to take back what I said about the Yankees,” Guerrero told Virus Deportivo, per ESPN. “But this is a business. I sat down and spoke with my dad [Vladimir Guerrero Sr.] and my family, and this is a business. And I said I would never again talk about this topic and lots of people have asked me about it.”
The Blue Jays' star's dislike for the Yankees, he told Jon Heyman in 2025, is connected to two reasons: the team pulling a contract offer for his father in 2003, and an incident at Yankee Stadium when he was a child, when Vlad Sr. was told "You gotta take your kid. You can’t be on the field."
Still, Guerrero Jr. was willing to put his words about the Yankees in the past, especially as he was initially approaching free agency.
"If I go to free agency, every team — all 30 teams — are going to have the opportunity to sit down with me, to talk to me," Guerrero told Heyman in the interview, per Fansided. "I'm okay with everything. It's in the past."
MORE: The Blue Jays' home run jacket, explained
Revisiting Vladimir Guerrero Sr.'s Yankees free agency
Guerrero entered free agency in 2003 after eight seasons with the Expos, having already cemented himself as a four-time All-Star.
According to a 2007 SI article from Tom Verducci, "there was a split among Yankees people on which guy to pursue" between Guerrero Sr. and Gary Sheffield, and "a lot of the baseball people" wanted the team to sign Guerrero due to his youth. But team owner George Steinbrenner preferred signing Sheffield — and he got his way, with the Yankees landing Sheffield and Guerrero Sr. signing with the Angels.
That 2004 season following free agency was Guerrero’s best in MLB. He won AL MVP honors, hitting .337 with 39 home runs and 126 RBIs.
Any public resentment toward the Yankees hasn’t come from Guerrero Sr., but if he did hold a grudge, it likely stems from his 2003 free agency, when New York passed on his skill set despite showing initial interest.