Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: Cover Athlete for MLB The Show 24
On Tuesday, January 30th, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays was named the cover athlete for MLB The Show 24. The slugger is one of the most well-known names in baseball and is one of the most-liked players in the league. Guerrero Jr., the son of MLB Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, is also one of the most prolific power hitters and a part of a young, talented Blue Jays core. Coincidentally enough, his father was back on the cover in 2006!
This choice has come with some controversy, however. The 24-year-old first baseman is, obviously, one of the brightest young stars in the MLB. In his five-year career, he has already been selected to three all-star games, a Gold Glove, and won the 2023 Home Run Derby. Even though he’s had these accomplishments in such a short time, he is coming off his worst season since his rookie year in 2019. He posted a .788 OPS, which is by no means bad but is worse than guys like Gleyber Torres, Nolan Gorman, and Brent Rooker. A lot of people on social media apps like X(Twitter) and Instagram have been slandering San Diego Studios, who makes MLB the Show, for choosing Guerrero Jr. to be the cover of the 2024 version of the game.
A player that I’ve seen people say was more deserving is Ronald Acuna Jr. Acuna Jr. is coming off a National League MVP that saw him steal over 70 bases. Even though there might have been better options to be on the cover, especially after a down year for the standards for Guerrero Jr., he was still a solid choice to be on the cover. He is one of the most recognizable and likable faces in the league, which is going to help San Diego Studios sell the game. If you are someone who plays a lot of MLB The Show like myself, you are now able to pre-order the game on Playstation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. The release date is set for March 19th!
