Game 6 could be Bo Bichette’s last as a Blue Jay

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Bo Bichette was drafted by the Blue Jays in 2016 after coming up through their farm system.Luke Hales/Getty Images

Friday night’s Game 6 of the World Series could be Bo Bichette’s final game as a Blue Jays, but he’s not ready to think about that yet.

The Jays slugging infielder is slated to enter free agency when the season ends, and his team has a chance to finish off the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight, to win the club’s first World Series in 32 years.

“I would be lying if I hadn’t thought about that at some point during the season,” said Bichette in a news conference before Friday’s game. “But I’ve got a World Series to win.”

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Bichette, who missed both the ALDS and ALCS healing a knee injury suffered late in the regular season, made his return for the World Series and has started four of the five games.

He wanted to return to play, even if he could risk injuring himself before the off-season and jeopardizing his chances in free agency.

“I don’t know if it was a decision. I think I just got to a point where I was healthy enough to do it, and I’m super grateful that everybody believed in me to be able to come out here and produce,” said Bichette. “And I’m just enjoying every minute of it.

Some in his supporting circle urged him to prioritize himself.

“I had a lot of people telling me to take care of myself, for sure,” said Bichette. “I mean, even I had that mindset a little bit, but to have an opportunity to play in this series is – I mean, this is a no-brainer.”

The Jays drafted Bichette in 2016, in the second round, 66th overall. Coming up through their farm system – in Lansing, Dunedin, New Hampshire, Buffalo – and then in Toronto, he and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have come along together, and have always been linked as the promising sons of Major Leaguers. Now they could win a World Series many predicted they could deliver together.

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“It’s been an incredible journey. I’ve obviously grown up here in so many different ways,” said Bichette. “It’s the only organization I know, but I’m not really looking at the past. I’ve got some pretty important stuff ahead of me right now.”

He has a chance to win something his father, former major league outfielder Dante Bichette, didn’t in his career.

“My dad never had an opportunity to play in a World Series. So I mean, your whole career everybody’s telling you don’t take winning for granted,” said Bichette. “But you have to learn that for yourself. There’s been a lot of times where I thought we would win and we didn’t. So to be here and to learn from past seasons is – it’s special to be here.”