The Toronto Blue Jays are testing out a change for All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette ahead of their World Series matchup against the Dodgers on Friday.
Bichette has missed the last seven weeks on the injured list with a left knee injury, and could make his return for the Blue Jays in the Fall Classic. The Blue Jays, rather than having him practice at shortstop, had him taking ground balls at second base on Wednesday. Bichette has been one of the worst defensive shortstops in MLB this season — posting a minus-10 fielding run value — and a move to a less taxing position could be favorable for the Blue Jays.
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“Andrés Giménez has offered above-average defence at shortstop, and expecting Bichette to return to the most demanding infield position after seven weeks on the sidelines might be too much to ask,” wrote Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith. “One plugged-in source expects Gimenez to continue playing shortstop.
“At the same time, if Bichette could play second base, that would open up designated hitter at-bats for George Springer, who has thrived as a DH. Meanwhile, Ernie Clement could play third and an extra outfield spot would open for someone like Addison Barger, Nathan Lukes or Myles Straw.
“Of course, it’s possible the Blue Jays are merely exploring their options and Bichette will be the one who needs DH at-bats. In the scenario that Bichette is primarily a pinch hitter or DH in the World Series, the second base option may be more of a late-game contingency than a plan-A.”
Blue Jays manager John Schneider gave the latest update on Bichette’s potential position change after he was seen taking ground balls at second during the team’s workout.
“So it’s a little bit of a leap, yeah, for sure. Again, I think just in conversations with Bo, he’s pretty realistic about how he feels and how he will feel if he’s out there,” Schneider said Thursday. “So it’s something we got to continue to work through, really. I think that if he feels comfortable doing it, I’m going to listen to players and trust them. I’ve known Bo for a long. So we’ll see how today goes.”
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Getting Bichette back is a huge deal for the Blue Jays, as he was one of their best offensive producers during the regular season. The 27-year-old played 139 games, batting .311 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs. He had a 129 OPS+ this season, the second-highest tally of his career.
The Dodgers travel to Toronto for the opening game of the World Series on Friday, and will look to continue their perfect road record this postseason. First pitch is at 5:00 p.m. PT.
Photo Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
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