Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said he fully understands why fans booed his team several times during Thursday's 13-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals at Rogers Centre.
"For one, fans are coming out every single night, which we love and we appreciate. There are no better fans in the sport, that's evident - the support that we have from coast to coast. They're entitled to their opinion," Schneider told reporters postgame. "When you're getting your ass kicked pretty good, they're allowed to have their opinion, but we love their support every night."
Thursday's blowout marked the Blue Jays' second straight series defeat and fourth loss in their last six contests. They're now 3.5 games back of the Cleveland Guardians for the final AL wild-card spot.
Playing a team below them in the standings, Toronto had a chance to close the gap in the wild-card race. Instead, the club was outscored 18-8 by Kansas City over the three-game series and watched the Baltimore Orioles jump them in the standings.
In the sixth inning, Blue Jays fans really began to show their frustration. Trailing 4-0, reliever Simeon Woods Richardson entered the game and proceeded to surrender six runs in the frame.
Vinnie Pasquantino's homer makes it a 6-run 6th for the @Royals! pic.twitter.com/oeBg9zeSNa
— MLB (@MLB) August 28, 2026
The boos didn't stop there.
Star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. appeared to be booed several times late in the game - first after grounding out in the sixth inning, then again in the eighth.
The 2025 ALCS MVP has yet to homer at Rogers Centre this season in 61 games and has just two RBIs over his last 20 outings. Guerrero took the field prior to the game to do extra work with the team's hitting coaches but finished the night 0-for-3 with a walk.
"It's been a weird year for Vlad," Schneider said. "I feel for him; everyone feels for him. It just seems like even when he's hitting the ball hard, it's at someone or it's on the ground.
"He's competing. He's working. You guys saw him hitting early. He's doing everything that he can to be the player that he is. ... We're going to continue to support him in any way we can. I just like the fact that he was getting some good swings off."
Schneider removed Guerrero to open the eighth inning but said following the game that it was score-related and not for disciplinary reasons.
"Just trying to get him off his feet," the manager said.
Toronto opens a three-game series with the Seattle Mariners on Friday at home.
