There’s no fair analogy for Vladimir Guerrero Jr’s (Vladdy’s) miserable 2026 season. I’m not even going to list the numbers. It’s too sad. Just know that he was the best baseball player in the world in 2025 and now he’s not. Moving forward, Vladdy will be the metaphor for disappointing seasons. 

If baseball can have writer’s block then Vladdy wrote less than a thousand words since last April despite coming to work almost everyday. There are probably technical explanations for his slump but in writing terms: he got out of rhythm, lost sight of the project, and put unjust pressure on himself to out work whatever mental block was stopping him from performing. As a writer, I’ve done all these things to myself as well. My slumps have extended over multiple years despite my best effort to wake up early, stay up later, or crunch out words during lunch. 

Vladdy shared his own version of early mornings and late nights in a sentimental press conference in July: 

“… But we’re just going — myself and the rest of the guys — to continue to play hard, and we’ll see at the end of the season … That’s baseball, but I can promise them we’re going to continue to work hard … We need for our fan base to be there right now because you never know, things can change.”

Things never changed. Vladdy twice referenced “hard work” but sometimes working hard isn’t enough. Chaining yourself to your computer or the batting cage isn’t enough to overcome something greater. If you go in the other direction and take an extended break, the guilty feeling of not working can eat at a writer so you go back to the desk, open the blank document and try again. Persistence is admirable but sometimes the vigor of your labor isn’t the problem.

In early September, Vladdy again pleaded with fans to “stay with me” as his struggles continued.

“We’re all human beings. There’s a lot of ups and downs, obviously, this year has not been my year, or the year I wanted. But I talk, always good communication, with the coaching staff and players. Basically just tell them ‘hey, it’s not going my way right now, but stay with me. Stay with me. I’m going to continue to keep working hard, and at the end, I’ll be there for you guys.”

There’s immense humanity in his plea. He knows something is wrong but he can’t pinpoint it. I’m not a baseball coach, psychologist, astrologist or anything else in between so I have no idea how to diagnose the exact nature of his issues. But, as a writer, I do know how it feels to be trapped like Vladdy, when your hardest work isn’t leading to anything but more work. I understand the remorse of letting down your writing groups or collaborators. I’ve felt immense pressure to finish projects in a timely manner, only to be disappointed when I fail to meet those expectations and deadlines. Like Vladdy, this isn’t due to a lack of effort. Sometimes I’m just stuck and don’t know how to get unstuck (in time).

On September 23, after the Toronto Blue Jays had been eliminated from playoff contention, Guerrero Jr again reiterated his pledge to work hard:

“To the fans, I’ve never stopped working very hard. I am going to go into the offseason again to prepare myself the best I can. Physically, mentally, everything that I have like I always do for my team and my teammates.”

I never questioned Vladdy’s work ethic this past season just like I don’t question mine during my own writing slumps. It’s not a lack of will, desire, or motivation. Effort is not the issue. I can’t even remember specifically how I got out of my slumps. It was probably a conversation with a friend or a new story or article idea that overwhelmed my inertia. It could’ve been a long run or a bike ride. Maybe it was over-eating or over-drinking followed by over-sleeping. I don’t know. But it was never grinding out words even though they never resulted in a meaningful sentence. It always involved something other than blindly working hard. 

Unlike writing, baseball has an offseason. I hope Vladdy uses his time away to do something different, try new things, and only work hard at everything other than baseball. It’s equally crucial for writers who feel stuck to take their own offseason or structured break. I don’t subscribe to the adage that writers should write everyday. Every day is a lot of days and not all of them are going to be good. Catch yourself before a few bad days turn into a historically bad season.