The Toronto Blue Jays are off to a rocky start, and while injuries have certainly played a role, there's a deeper issue brewing in their lineup. The departure of Bo Bichette, who signed with the New York Mets in free agency, has left a noticeable void—and a concerning stat involving Vladimir Guerrero Jr. highlights just how much the team misses him.

Guerrero Jr. remains one of baseball's elite hitters, but without a consistent threat behind him in the order, opposing pitchers are adjusting their approach. According to The Athletic's Mitch Bannon, Guerrero is seeing pitches in the heart of the zone just 21.5 percent of the time—the lowest mark of his career. Meanwhile, pitchers are wasting more offerings against him, with 11.2 percent of pitches falling outside the strike zone. The result? Guerrero has posted a stellar .421 on-base percentage but has managed only two home runs so far this season.

This shift in pitching strategy is a direct consequence of Bichette's absence. When Bichette was in the lineup, pitchers couldn't afford to pitch around Guerrero. Now, with less protection behind him, Guerrero is being forced to chase or settle for walks rather than punishing mistakes.

The Blue Jays brought in Kazuma Okamoto to help fill the gap, and he's shown flashes of promise. But for Guerrero to get back to mashing at his usual MVP-caliber level, Okamoto—or someone else—will need to prove they can consistently make pitchers pay. Until then, Toronto's offense will continue to feel the sting of Bichette's departure.