Bo Bichette damage replace: Blue Jays shortstop off ALCS roster vs. Mariners after spraining knee

Forward of Sunday’s Recreation 1, The Toronto Blue Jays introduced their roster for his or her American League Championship Sequence conflict with the Seattle Mariners, and most notably star shortstop Bo Bichette was not on it as he continues his restoration from a knee damage. The choice got here after Bichette skilled discomfort after trying to run the bases on Saturday, based on Sportsnet. That was his first time working the bases since struggling the damage. As effectively, veteran right-handers Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt are on the Jays’ ALCS roster after having been left off for the final spherical. 

Bichette has been sidelined since Sept. 6, when he collided with New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells and suffered a sprained left knee. The membership positioned him on the injured checklist on Sept. 9. The damage got here simply as Bichette was placing the ending touches on a formidable bounce-back season. Coming off a disappointing 2024 during which offensive manufacturing cratered, Bichette this season slashed a formidable .311/.357/.483 (129 OPS+) with 18 dwelling runs, 44 doubles, and a WAR of three.4 in 139 video games. That sturdy efficiency in tandem along with his equally sturdy pre-2024 physique of labor has positioned the 27-year-old Bichette as one of the coveted free brokers of the approaching winter.

The extra speedy concern is whether or not the Blue Jays can advance to the World Sequence with out his companies. Throughout Toronto’s ALDS win over the Yankees, the Blue Jays shifted Andrés Giménez, usually their second baseman, to shortstop, and used Ernie Clement as their beginning second baseman. At the least offensively, Bichette was not drastically missed throughout that collection, in giant measure as a result of Clement went 9 for 14 on the plate towards the Yankees. That qualifies as a sizzling streak for any hitter, not to mention one like Clement, who has a profession OPS+ of 87. 

The Bichette-less Blue Jays will host the Mariners for Sunday’s Recreation 1, with first pitch scheduled for 8:03 p.m. ET.