93RD MLB ALL-STAR GAME

July 10, 2023

Vladimir Guerrero

T-Mobile Park

Home Run Derby Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Who has the first question for Vlad?

Q. You know the strength and the power it takes to homer. What impresses you about what Julio Rodríguez did in the first round?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: I knew he was going to do that before that. We talked before and you could tell that he really wanted to win. I mean, he put a lot of work in this. But, you know, it happened.

So. But he really wanted it but I'm glad that I came out on top.

Q. (Question in Spanish).

THE INTERPRETER: Basically his answers were talking about that he's here because his family asked him to be here. For the last two years they have been asking him, for him to do it again and he agreed, and he won.

But he's very thankful for all the support that he got from his family. His cousins were down here. His teammates were down here, but he's very happy for all that.

Q. In 2019 you set the record with 40 home runs, but did not win the Derby. Is it more fun to have an enormous round where you set a record or to win the whole thing?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: Definitely to win it. Win it all. I mean, back in 2019 I hit 91 homers and I lost. I think it was like 60 something tonight, and I came out on top.

Q. What was that rivalry like with Julio Rodríguez? And then they have their jacket in Toronto, and if this is a new design that I see here in front of us.

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: Basically with Julio, it's like a brotherhood. Me competing, our competition was, it was great. I mean, you could tell, like I said before, he really wanted to win, but I came out on top.

And then about the jacket, we just decided to do something different for the Derby. As you guys can tell, we got everybody on the back of the jacket, all the last names. So it means like everybody was part of it. Something just to put something, add something fun to the Derby.

Q. What do you feel like you learned from this experience in 2019, especially when it came to pacing yourself?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: Nothing. Nothing at all. I mean, everybody was telling me to calm down, to slow down, but you just can't, you just can't. You just got to continue to hit homers.

Q. How exhausted were you at the end? You and Randy and Julio all seemed to be really gasping for air there. Did you kind of leave it all on the field tonight?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: We gave all we had. I mean, it's not easy. Some people think that it is easy, but, I mean, swinging hard for three minutes, I mean it's going to take a lot from you. I mean, not just Julio and Randy, I would say everyone. Everyone that participated in the Derby gave all they got and just to put on a good show for everyone.

Q. What advice did your dad give you going into this?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: No, zero advice. Hit homers.

Q. Have you talked to him since?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: I haven't had a chance yet. I will.

Q. Basically will you do it again next year, to defend the title?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: If you are asking me right now, no. The way I feel, it's not too good right now. Maybe if you ask me next year, I'll give you a better answer. Maybe tomorrow. Tomorrow.

Q. The second time Dominican players go back to back in the Derby, win the Derby, so what do you think about that? What do you feel?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: I didn't know about that, but I'm feeling very, very happy about that, very proud. Like I always say, I really believe that when you work very hard, it pays off.

Q. What do you remember as a kid from the 2007 Derby in San Francisco and did you watch a lot of that video growing up and what does it mean to you to have it in the family, father/son, winning the Derby like this?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: To be honest with you I don't remember much about 2007. I guess I was too young. But I feel great, I feel very happy, very proud that my father and I, we both won the Derby.

Q. You've now matched your dad with the Home Run Derby, in a way you've done it better with an All Star MVP. What's next? World Series titles, Hall of Fame to match him?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: I think I'm a little bit too young to think about that right now. We'll see what happens in the years to come. When I get there, then I'll think about it. I'll see if I match my dad or was better than my dad or not. But I can't think about that right now.

Q. On the Blue Jays now you have Victor Martinez as an advisor or hitting coach. Any specific advice that Victor has been giving you?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: Yeah, he's been giving me a lot of advice. I cannot tell you which advice because that's a secret between me and him. But, yeah, since he got to Spring Training, we connected very well. I mean, Victor has a lot of hits, so I better listen to him.

But he's been great. He's been great with me.

Q. If you could compete in a Derby against your dad in his prime, who would win that Derby?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: (Smiling.) Well, it's kind of difficult right now. If it's with the timer, with the minutes, I'll win. If it's by outs, he'll win.

Q. How would you compare the way you swung in 2019 to the way you swung this time?

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR.: Well, in 2019 I was younger. So I mean, I swung harder. I didn't get tired that often. But now I'm older now, so you know, I couldn't swing as hard as I want and I got tired. Real quick, too.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Congratulations and thanks, everyone.