Bo Bichette's Latest Small Step Forward Means Blue Jays Challenge Continues

It must feel terrible to not contribute in the postseason, especially when you were so instrumental in getting the team to its current juncture. Shortstop Bo Bichette had a fantastic year when healthy, but a knee injury against the Yankees in early September put a crimp in his season.

Bichette was all smiles watching the Blue Jays beat the Bronx Bombers in a highly entertaining ALDS. That ALDS victory, and the accompanying days off, could be critical to getting the native of Florida back on the field. It appears the shortstop is making strides in potentially returning as they make this incredible playoff run.

Bo Bichette's Latest Small Step Forward Means Blue Jays Challenge Continues

Prior to Game 4 of the ALDS, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reported that Bichette was seen jogging in the outfield at Yankee Stadium. He apparently jogged around 50 yards in the outfield, but did have a noticeable limp in his gait.

It's a hopeful step in the right direction for Bichette after an outstanding year on the field. He slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs. It all adds up to a 129 OPS+ and a 3.4 WAR campaign. He was leading the American League in hits and ultimately finished a meager three hits shy of Bobby Witt Jr. for the top spot. After a disappointing 2024 campaign, Bichette played every possible game he could.

The Blue Jays have been fortunate to continue scoring runs even in Bichette's absence. They piled up 34 runs in eliminating the Yankees during the ALDS. Andrés Giménez has capably filled in at shortstop during Bichette's absence. Gimenez is 4-for-11 with a double and two RBIs in four games played.

It would be silly to think that the Blue Jays can keep hitting at this ridiculous pace as the postseason drags on. The pitching will get better and the lineup needs to keep flexing their muscles. The contributions of Ernie Clement and the rest of the lineup have been amazing, but can that continue to be relied for each round of the postseason?

This is particularly true if the pitching staff is operating with a deficit in the starting rotation. The Blue Jays may need to eventually out-slug their pitching even if they keep attaining success in bullpen games.

Bichette really wants to play baseball with some of his best friends, but he also has free agency beckoning and this injury shouldn't decimate his market, he will still likely be one of the most sought after players this offseason. Bichette will make plenty of money even though the number may have fallen slightly compared to a few weeks ago. As mentioned, he stayed remarkably healthy until this freak accident in New York.

It feels like Bichette won't break the record free agent shortstop contract numbers set by Willy Adames, but he should still make a pretty penny. The Blue Jays should be one of his biggest suitors in free agency and the ability to pair him and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the same lineup for years to come.

In the present moment, it's all about getting Bichette back on the field as a key contributor for the Blue Jays. One Blue Jays commentator believes that if he does come back, he'll likely only be able to play as the teams DH.

Eventually, the front office will set their sights on pursuing Bichette once he reaches free agency. That will be one of the more interesting subplots to watch after this magical season eventually wraps up.