The Toronto Blue Jays are testing a replacement for All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette ahead of Friday’s World Series game against the .
Bichette has been on the disabled list for the past seven weeks with a left knee injury and could return to the Blue Jays in the Fall Classic. The Blue Jays had him take ground balls at second base on Wednesday rather than have him practice at shortstop. Bichette has been one of the worst defensive shortstops in MLB this season, posting a minus-10 defensive run value, so a move to a less demanding position could be advantageous for the Blue Jays.
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Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith wrote, “Andres Jimenez has been an above-average defender at shortstop, and it may be unreasonable to expect Bichette to return to the most demanding infield position after being sidelined for seven weeks.” “One source predicts Jimenez will continue to play shortstop.
“At the same time, if Bichette can play second base, it would open up a designated hitter at-bat for George Springer, who is active as a DH. Meanwhile, Ernie Clement could play third base, opening up more outfield spots for players like Addison Berger, Nathan Rooks and Myles Straw.”
“Of course, it’s possible that the Blue Jays are simply exploring options and Bichette needs some DH at-bats. In a scenario where Bichette primarily serves as a pinch hitter or DH in the World Series, the second base option could be more of a late-game emergency than Plan A.”
Blue Jays manager John Schneider provided an update on a possible position change for Bichette, who was grounded out to second base during the team’s practice.
“So, it’s a little bit of a leap, yeah, for sure. Again, just from my conversations with Bo, I think he’s pretty realistic about how he feels and how he’s going to feel once he gets into the game,” Schneider said Thursday. “So, that’s really something we have to continue to work on. If he’s comfortable doing it, I think I’m going to listen to the players and trust them. I’ve known Bo for a long time, so we’ll see how today goes.”
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Bichette’s return is a huge deal for the Blue Jays, as he was one of the Blue Jays’ best offensive producers during the regular season. The 27-year-old played in 139 games, batting .311 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs. This season, he posted an OPS+ of 129, the second-highest mark of his career.
The travel to Toronto for the World Series opener on Friday, looking to continue their perfect road record this postseason. First pitch is at 5pm PT.
Photo by Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
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