The Toronto Blue Jays will be watching a playoff matchup between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees this week as they prepare to take on the winner in an American League Division Series.
The Blue Jays narrowly avoided a wild card matchup with one of those division rivals themselves, as they earned their bye on the final day of the regular season. However, that extra time off is critical for hopes that franchise shortstop Bo Bichette will be able to join the team in their initial playoff matchup.
Bichette would have been ruled out for a wild card series and the latest update on his health wasn’t ideal, as he was seen limping.
“He didn’t look remotely close to returning early last week, spotted at various times limping through the clubhouse with a large brace on his left knee,” Gregor Chisholm reported for the Toronto Star. “When asked Sunday if he was ‘optimistic’ about returning for Saturday’s Game 1 of the ALDS, he didn’t sound like someone beaming with confidence.”
Bichette was Major League Baseball’s total hits leader when he was sidelined with his injury and the Blue Jays might not be able to make a deep playoff run without him back in the lineup. After pitching in the final game of the regular season, team ace Kevin Gausman sent a message about just how important giving Bichette more time to return from his injury is to the team.
“That’s huge,” Gausman said, per Chilsholm. “There’s no secret, we’re a little banged up right now, so to give those guys an extra couple days is huge.”
Bichette might still be unlikely to return for the Blue Jays’ first playoff game, but winning the division makes it more likely he will return at some point in their first series. And whether they play the Yankees or Red Sox, they could use his bat.
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