It doesn’t exactly take a rocket scientist to see that Bo Bichette is playing at far less than 100 per cent for the Toronto Blue Jays.
A knee injury suffered by the 27-year-old shortstop in early September resulted in him sitting on the sidelines through both the ALDS and ALCS, before being healthy enough to be a part of the Jays roster for the World Series.
Rather than playing shortstop, the Blue Jays have been switching Bichette between second base and DH, both of which put far less strain on his knee. While he’s hitting a robust .364 through 11 at-bats, however, it’s clear that he is still not comfortable, as he’s been spotted on several occasions hobbling along the bases.
Playing at less than 100 per cent is a big risk for any player, as it can result in an injury setback. There is even more risk for Bichette on that front, as he is in line to receive a huge contract this offseason, whether it be from the Blue Jays or another team. Despite the danger of the situation, the two-time All-Star is completely locked in on helping his team win a World Series.
“I’ll risk it all,” Bichette said to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal.
While sitting out late in the season and the beginning of the playoffs did help Bichette in his road to recovery, there will still be a ways to go once the offseason has arrived. That recovery phase has been put on pause for the time being, with little to no healing taking place while he takes the field.
“I’m not really expecting to make huge progress while I’m playing,” Bichette admitted. “I’m doing what I can.”
Bichette is expected to be in the lineup once again on Wednesday night for Game 5, where the Blue Jays will be looking to take the series lead over the LA Dodgers before heading back to Toronto.
