3 ways the Blue Jays can replace Bo Bichette if his injury proves to be serious

Tim Anderson of the Chicago White Sox

Tim Anderson, 30, has seen his name being tossed around the rumor mill all season so far. Unfortunately, he is mired in one of the biggest slumps he's ever had over the course of his eight-year big league career.

Through 82 games for the struggling White Sox, Anderson has just one home run with a .245 batting average, .578 OPS and an OPS+ of just 60. The OPS+ is especially of note because it suggests that the two-time All-Star is 40 percent below league-average at the plate, which is a shocking fall from grace out of a player who was once seen as one of the premier shortstops in the game.

What makes Anderson attractive to a team like the Blue Jays is the fact that he has an extensive reputation as a speedy, power-hitting shortstop who plays slick defense and has a winner's mindset. Over the course of his career, he has consistently been known as one of the better hitting middle infielders in the game, and it's worth noting that his current slump could just be a temporary setback.

A free agent at the end of the current season, Anderson's expiring contract and lowered statistics could put him right into the wheelhouse of Ross Atkins and the Blue Jays. He can play either short or second base and could very easily be a short term replacement for Bo Bichette and then a longer-term replacement for one of Santiago Espinal or Cavan Biggio if a deal comes together.

For what it's worth, Anderson was recently linked to the Blue Jays with the club apparently eyeing him as a second base option. This would give merit to the above suggestion of him playing shortstop until Bichette returns, only to later slide over to second.