The confident Toronto Blue Jays received a huge boost of momentum when injured shortstop Bo Bichette declared himself ready to play in the upcoming World Series.
Bichette, who is a two-time American League All-Star, had his season derailed back on September 6th when, during a 3-1 New York Yankees win at Yankee Stadium, he collided at home plate with Yankees catcher Austin Wells, which resulted in Bichette being sidelined with what was termed a left knee PCL strain.
Since that time Bichette missed the rest of the regular season, followed by the Blue Jays’ AL Wildcard best-of-5 series win against the Yankees and most recently the AL Championship Series, which ended with the Jays defeating the Seattle Mariners in a winner-take-all Game 7 4-3 score to officially stamp their ticket to the World Series.
“I‘ll be ready,” Bichette, who has been ramping up his on-field workouts, said. “I don’t know how they’re using me, but I’ll be ready.”
Before getting injured, Bichette was hitting .311 with 181 hits, 78 runs scored, 18 home runs, 94 RBI’s, 44 doubles, and four stolen bases. He was, as Blue Jays fans know, a vital cog in the team’s offence.
“I think the base running and the defence is something hopefully we can advance and we can check those boxes in the next few days,” Jays manager John Schneider said. “He’s done some light stuff but hasn’t been like full go at short and not back on the bases yet. But the running has picked up in the outfield, just in terms of the intensity and the build-up—the length of it to be perfectly honest.”
Blue Jays Shortstop Bo Bichette Will Be on World Series Roster
Bichette Not a Stranger to MLB Postseason
Back in 2023, Bichette was solid in the AL Wild Card Series, where in two games, he hit for a .500 average by going 4 for 8 (four singles) while scoring a run in a series that saw the Minnesota Twins sweep the Jays in a two-out-of-three Wild Card format.
“We got beat up two years in a row in the playoffs,” Bichette said back then. “So I think there’s a lot of reflection needed, from players but from the organization, from top to down. Everybody needs to reflect to see what we can do better. So, I think that’s the next step.”
Obviously, it hasn’t been easy this year for Bichette, who after the September injury, has been reduced to being a cheerleader from the dugout. It will be quite an emotional boost to see what he brings in his return.
Bichette Scheduled To Be A Free Agent
Bichette, who has now played seven seasons with the Blue Jays, is in the final year of a three-year contract and this winter can become a free agent. The good news however, for Blue Jays fans is that the shortstop has stressed on many occasions that he would love to stay in Toronto.
Back in 2019, this blue-chip prospect made his MLB debut, and seven years later, it’s safe to say that he has fulfilled expectations.
Currently, Bichette ranks 16th on the Blue Jays franchise all-time base-hit leader board with 904, 18th spot for runs scored at 438, 15th position for doubles with 190, along with 60 stolen bases, 111 home runs, and seven triples.
During his career, Bichette has also led the American League in hits starting in 2021, when he had 191 hits, and again two years later when in 2023, he enjoyed a 175-hit season.
There have been many examples, including such names as Willy Adames, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, and Carlos Correa of shortstops who have done exceptionally well in free agency. You can bet that Jays fans will be watching very closely this winter and praying for the team’s brass to re-sign their prized shortstop.
Main Image: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
