Patience is already paying off for the Blue Jays in 2022

Bo Bichette’s defence

One of the most annoying arguments on social media last year was whether or not Bo Bichette should be moved off of the shortstop position. Thankfully the Blue Jays held firm to their position that their franchise player is going to be just fine at his natural position.

I understood where the noise was coming from last year, as Bichette really struggled in the field to begin the schedule, and it didn’t help that Cavan Biggio had a hard time adjusting to third base beside him. That said, Bichette was a much better defender throughout the second half of the 2021 campaign, and already we’re seeing encouraging signs to start this season.

Bichette is well known as a relentlessly hard worker, and there’s no doubt that he put continued focus on his defence throughout the offseason. That said, the Blue Jays also provided a present for their 24 year old star when they traded for Matt Chapman, who is one of the top five defenders in all of baseball. Chapman’s mere presence will take some pressure off of Bichette in the field, and like he did in 2021, he’ll have an opportunity to learn from a savvy veteran, and it will only improve his glove work in the long run.

Bichette might not be a top 10 defensive shortstop in baseball just yet, but I’m continually impressed with the consistent strides he makes in his game, and I’m glad that the Blue Jays have remained patient as far as his defensive home is concerned. He looked great against the Rangers in the opening series of the season, and I believe he’s only going to get better as the season continues.