TAMPA — Bo Bichette is in Dallas getting a second opinion on the sprained PCL in his left knee, supervisor John Schneider shared Monday, the primary main replace because the Blue Jays’ star shortstop landed on the IL final week.
Schneider reiterated that this was extra of a follow-up assembly to Bichette’s unique prognosis, not the response to something “new” or worse in his knee. With simply two weeks left within the season, although, the clock is ticking on Bichette and Monday’s replace doesn’t reignite any optimism in his timeline for returning to the lineup.
“He’s in the very best spirits that he might be. We’re simply doing our due diligence,” Schneider mentioned. “He was feeling most likely higher than what an MRI confirmed, so I feel that getting via this appointment will give extra readability to him and to us. Hopefully, it’s excellent news and we will say, ‘OK, right here’s what we’re going to do.’”
Bichette injured his knee final weekend in New York when he collided laborious at dwelling plate with Yankees catcher Austin Wells, which is when the swings in emotion started.
At first, the harm regarded severe as Bichette limped off the sphere with the assistance of a teammate, grimacing in ache. Then, after a prolonged rain delay, Bichette bounced again up the dugout steps and completed that day’s recreation with everybody optimistic he’d escaped with only a few cuts. Some soreness within the coming days spurred an MRI, although, and the eventual IL stint.
At this level, it’s all in regards to the postseason. Bichette clearly isn’t going to be within the lineup in Tampa this week and the approaching weekend collection in Kansas Metropolis feels awfully unlikely, too. Might Bichette return in time for the postseason, with a possible ALDS starting on Saturday, Oct. 4? At this level, the Blue Jays would possibly even name {that a} optimistic end result.
One factor is evident, although. Schneider and the Blue Jays will take any model of Bichette they will get. He was one of many hottest hitters in baseball when he went down, a game-changing cleanup hitter behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
“In an ideal world, if he can come again and play brief, nice,” Schneider mentioned. “We’ll see how this goes. With how he’s shifting, it appears to me that hitting will probably be a bit bit in entrance of all the pieces else. I feel we’ll know extra tomorrow or the following day, but when we will get his bat again, hell yeah, I’ll take that.”
On condition that the harm is to Bichette’s lead leg in his swing, Schneider is fast to level out how adaptable Bichette has been with that movement. Sure, Bichette is thought for the large, athletic leg kick, however he additionally has an easier strategy the place that entrance toe stays on the bottom. Bichette’s swing is as versatile as anybody’s in baseball, so if the facility isn’t going to come back from his lead leg, it might come from the torque of his physique and fast palms. If nothing else, it’s price a strive.
Bichette can also be a pending free agent, set to be one of the vital interesting gamers on the free-agent market this winter. He and Vladdy, working mates because the Minor Leagues and shut buddies, are nonetheless making an attempt to win their first postseason recreation collectively. This isn’t how Bichette desires it to finish, so after all he’ll be as motivated as anybody on this rehab course of.
Step one is getting a clearer understanding of precisely what Bichette is coping with, although, which makes the following replace within the coming days — when the Blue Jays get a solution — an important information merchandise of the Blue Jays’ season.
