Bo Bichette will not be participating in the upcoming American League Division Series against the New York Yankees for the Toronto Blue Jays. The talented shortstop has been dealing with a knee sprain and remains day to day as he works on his recovery. Manager John Schneider mentioned that the final decision was approaching as the team prepares to kick off the best-of-five series at home on Saturday.
Bichette sustained the injury during a game against the Yankees on September 6 in a play at home plate. Despite missing the last three weeks of the season, the 27-year-old was leading Major League Baseball with 181 hits in 139 games. He ended up tied for second place in hits while boasting impressive stats of a .311 batting average, 18 home runs, and 94 runs batted in.
In addition to Bichette, three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer will also be absent from the Blue Jays’ 26-man roster for the AL Division Series. Scherzer’s recent performance, with a 1-3 record and a 9.00 ERA in his last six starts, led to his exclusion. Notably, the pitcher struggled in a game against the Yankees on September 7 due to tipping pitches with his change-up.
Another notable absence from the Blue Jays’ lineup is Chris Bassitt, the team’s regular season wins leader. Bassitt has been sidelined since September 18 due to lower back inflammation. Both Scherzer and Bassitt, experienced pitchers, will not be available for the upcoming series against the Yankees.
The Blue Jays have included a total of thirteen pitchers in their roster for the series, with Kevin Gausman set to start Game 1. The team is aiming for their first postseason victory since 2016 after facing three consecutive wild-card series sweeps between 2020 and 2023.
