Blue Jays star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. exited the game due to a hamstring strain and will undergo an MRI scan.

If you're a Blue Jays fan, these are the last words you want to hear.

“Now pinch-hitting for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ...”

In the Blue Jays’ 2-5 defeat to the Pirates today, Guerrero was taken out in the fifth inning because of a left hamstring strain. The sudden arrival of Ty France in the dugout, right after Addison Barger stepped into the on-deck circle, surprised everyone.

“He’s fine,” manager John Schneider said. “Obviously, it happened after that stretch. At this point in the season, everyone’s battling something, and this just aggravated his hamstring. It’s just a strain. He’ll get an MRI tonight to rule out anything serious, and then we’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”

In the bottom of the third, Guerrero made a spectacular split to catch a throw from Bo Bichette, ending the inning. It's become one of his signature moves as a first baseman, but he immediately got up and jogged slowly toward the dugout.

Guerrero continued to play through the next few innings, including making several throws to first. One of his greatest strengths as a player is his durability—he rarely misses games—so his exit signaled that something was different this time.

“He wanted to test it a bit and make sure he wasn’t making it worse. I trust him; he knows his body very well,” Schneider said. “We can’t afford to lose him for an extended period, so this is precautionary. Hopefully, he’ll be ready in a day or two. He’s obviously crucial to our lineup.”

Guerrero has been on fire lately, regaining the explosive form we saw late last summer at just the right time. In his last 40 games before this Pirates series, dating back to early July, he’s hit .333 with a 1.012 OPS, including nine home runs and 24 RBIs. He’s always been close, but Vladimir has finally found the perfect balance between game-changing power and being a true “hitter”—his greatest gift.

The “good news” is that Guerrero may only need to miss another game or two to ensure he’s fully healthy for the Blue Jays’ upcoming playoff run. If it goes longer than that, it’s a different story, but early diagnosis, Schneider’s comments, and Guerrero’s track record all suggest there’s no reason to worry yet.

Meanwhile, France is expected to see more time at first base, and Ernie Clement could also fill in—he’s played 13 games there this season. The Blue Jays might also give Guerrero some days as the designated hitter, though George Springer has been comfortable in that spot this year.

Tomorrow will be Guerrero’s first major test, as Toronto will assess his progress and await the MRI results. Until then, everyone will be holding their breath, but the Blue Jays are hoping they avoided any serious issues in this series opener.