The 27-year-old will play second base and bat fourth for the Blue Jays as they look to take a 2-1 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Fall Classic on Monday night (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+ 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT).
Toronto manager John Schneider announced Sunday that Bichette was expected to make his return to second base after opening Game 2 on the bench. It will be Bichette’s second career major-league appearance at the position after debuting there in Game 1.
“I think playing will help him kind of get his feet underneath him a little bit and gain a little bit more confidence as he goes with everything the game is going to ask him to do,” Schneider told reporters on Monday. “I think as this series goes, you’ll probably see him feel a little bit more comfortable when it comes to running and the overall stamina of the game.”
He went 1-for-2 with a walk before getting subbed out for pinch-runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the bottom of the sixth inning on Friday. He served as a pinch-hitter in Game 2 but was unable to get on base in the eventual 5-1 loss.
Bichette was left off the Blue Jays’ ALDS and ALCS roster after suffering a knee sprain Sept. 6 against the New York Yankees.
The 27-year-old was enjoying a bounce-back season before missing most of the final month. Bichette slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs and led MLB with 181 hits at the time of his injury. He still finished tied for second in hits and second in doubles (44) despite missing the final 20 games of the year.
Toronto is also swapping Daulton Varsho and Alejandro Kirk in its batting order. Varsho will bat fifth against Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow and Kirk will slide down to sixth.
Kirk had hit directly ahead of Varsho in each of the Blue Jays’ games this post-season.
Both have been key contributors for Toronto in October. Kirk has four homers in 51 at-bats and an .845 OPS, and Varsho has three homers and an .806 OPS.
