TAMPA — Bo Bichette is in Dallas getting a second opinion on the sprained PCL in his left knee, manager John Schneider shared Monday, the first major update since the Blue Jays’ star shortstop landed on the IL last week.
Schneider reiterated that this was more of a follow-up meeting to Bichette’s original diagnosis, not the reaction to anything “new” or worse in his knee. With just two weeks left in the season, though, the clock is ticking on Bichette and Monday’s update doesn’t reignite any optimism in his timeline for returning to the lineup.
“He’s in the best spirits that he can be. We’re just doing our due diligence,” Schneider said. “He was feeling probably better than what an MRI showed, so I think that getting through this appointment will give more clarity to him and to us. Hopefully, it’s good news and we can say, ‘OK, here’s what we’re going to do.’”
Bichette injured his knee last weekend in New York when he collided hard at home plate with Yankees catcher Austin Wells, which is when the swings in emotion began.
At first, the injury looked serious as Bichette limped off the field with the help of a teammate, grimacing in pain. Then, after a lengthy rain delay, Bichette bounced back up the dugout steps and finished that day’s game with everyone optimistic he’d escaped with just a few cuts. Some soreness in the coming days spurred an MRI, though, and the eventual IL stint.
At this point, it’s all about the postseason. Bichette clearly isn’t going to be in the lineup in Tampa this week and the coming weekend series in Kansas City feels awfully unlikely, too. Could Bichette return in time for the postseason, with a potential ALDS beginning on Saturday, Oct. 4? At this point, the Blue Jays might even call that a positive outcome.
One thing is clear, though. Schneider and the Blue Jays will take any version of Bichette they can get. He was one of the hottest hitters in baseball when he went down, a game-changing cleanup hitter behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
“In a perfect world, if he can come back and play short, great,” Schneider said. “We’ll see how this goes. With how he’s moving, it seems to me that hitting will be a little bit in front of everything else. I think we’ll know more tomorrow or the next day, but if we can get his bat back, hell yeah, I’ll take that.”
Given that the injury is to Bichette’s lead leg in his swing, Schneider is quick to point out how adaptable Bichette has been with that motion. Yes, Bichette is known for the big, athletic leg kick, but he also has a simpler approach where that front toe stays on the ground. Bichette’s swing is as versatile as anyone’s in baseball, so if the power isn’t going to come from his lead leg, it could come from the torque of his body and quick hands. If nothing else, it’s worth a try.
Bichette is also a pending free agent, set to be one of the most appealing players on the free-agent market this winter. He and Vladdy, running mates since the Minor Leagues and close friends, are still trying to win their first postseason game together. This isn’t how Bichette wants it to end, so of course he’ll be as motivated as anyone in this rehab process.
The first step is getting a clearer understanding of exactly what Bichette is dealing with, though, which makes the next update in the coming days — when the Blue Jays get an answer — the most important news item of the Blue Jays’ season.
