Blue Jays Without Bichette in ALDS Against Yankees

The Blue Jays are set to face the Yankees in the American League Division Series without their star shortstop, Bo Bichette. He has been sidelined since September 6 due to a knee injury.

Initially, there was some hope for his return. Toronto’s manager, John Schneider, mentioned on Friday that Bichette would be a last-minute decision, but it ultimately didn’t pan out.

Besides not including Bichette, the Blue Jays also opted to leave veteran pitchers Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt off the roster.

Even after missing the final month of the regular season, Bichette finished strong, tying for second place in the league with 181 hits, just behind Bobby Witt Jr. of the Royals. He set a career-high batting average of .311 for the season.

“It’s tough to play without a BO,” Guerrero said, expressing the team’s frustration. “We didn’t want things to be this way, but that’s baseball. We have to find a way to push through and keep winning as a team.”

The adjustment comes after Bichette sprained his left knee while sliding into home plate against the Yankees last month, leaving Toronto to reevaluate their strategy.

Andrés Giménez will take over the shortstop position in Bichette’s absence.

As Bichette heads into the offseason as a free agent, he remains a highly sought-after player among shortstops. If the Blue Jays progress in the playoffs, there could be a chance for him to return for the ALCS or the World Series.

When asked about the possibility of activating Bichette, Schneider noted, “Run through one and see how it feels.”