Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette hurt his left knee on this play during a game in the Bronx against the New York Yankees almost one month ago.John Jones/Reuters
As other Major League Baseball teams have begun their wild-card series, the Toronto Blue Jays are making careful use of the extra rest days they earned by winning the American League East.
The Jays are using the days to weigh their personnel decisions, while injured players are working diligently to get healthy before the Jays open the AL Division Series at home this weekend.
Several Blue Jays are trying to heal up, from Bo Bichette to Chris Bassitt, while the staff weighs its choices before the 26-man playoff roster is due Saturday morning.
The Jays said Wednesday that Bichette is making progress each day, but there’s no firm date for his return to the lineup. The star shortstop, who missed the final three weeks of the regular season with a left knee sprain, is now hitting more on the field and playing some catch, but he’s not running yet.
“I’ll never put anything past Bo, in terms of when people say he can’t do something, and him proving them wrong,” said Jays manager John Schneider on Wednesday. “I think that if he’s ready, we’ll obviously welcome him back with open arms. And if he’s not, I think that’s another thing you want to play for, is to keep going and get him back, hopefully in the next round.”
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt went on the injured list with a lower-back complaint.Chris O’Meara/The Associated Press
The news sounded more hopeful for Bassitt. Schneider said that the right-hander, who went on the injured list last Saturday with lower-back inflammation, will throw on Thursday during the last of the team’s two short intrasquad games at Rogers Centre.
That outing will help the Jays to determine how he’s feeling and how he may fit into the team’s overall pitching picture in the postseason.
“I think Chris can help us in a variety of roles, for sure, if he’s physically ready,” said Schneider.
Jose Berrios, however, does not appear as ready to go. Medical consultations have confirmed that the righty has no structural damage in his elbow.
“Jose is still not throwing, so it would be hard for him to be a factor in this portion of the playoffs,” said Ross Atkins, the Blue Jays’ general manager.
The Toronto Blue Jays are taking it one day at a time with starting pitcher Jose Berrios, who will probably not be fully healthy until at least the league championship series, should the Jays make it that far.Stephanie Scarbrough/The Associated Press
While the ALDS looks unlikely for Berrios, the Jays have not ruled out a return for him later in the postseason, should the team still be playing.
“We’re not taking it off the table,” Atkins said. “But we’re just going to go [one] day at a time.”
Atkins spoke highly of the chances that Toronto’s 22-year-old phenom Trey Yesavage will play a role in the postseason.
“He’s handled himself very well, the combination of how he gets to his release point, his release point, his fastball, his split, the slider, both handed hitters,” said Atkins of the youngster who has made just three starts for the big-league club after his remarkable rise through the minors. “I would expect him to be a part of us preventing runs.”
It remains to be seen how the Jays will use Yesavage.
“I think Trey is definitely part of the puzzle,” Schneider said. “Personally, I have no problem with him starting and no problem with him coming out of the bullpen.”
On Wednesday, MLB announced times for the Blue Jays’ first two games of the ALDS. If Boston wins its wild-card series over the New York Yankees, Toronto will play host to the Red Sox on Saturday at 1:08 p.m. ET. If New York advances, the Jays will welcome the Yankees on Saturday at 4:08 p.m.
Sunday’s Game 2 will start at 4:08 p.m. in either scenario.