Bichette: 'Reflection needed from top-down' for Blue Jays

After getting swept in the Wild Card round for the third time in four years, including in back-to-back seasons, Bo Bichette thinks reflection is needed for this Blue Jays team.

When asked what the next step for this ballclub is, the two-time all-star initially said he wasn't sure, but then said reflection is needed from everybody in the organization.

"We got beat up two years in a row in the playoffs, so I think there's a lot of reflection needed. From players, but from the organization from the top to down. Everybody needs to reflect and see what we can do better, so I think that's the next step."

via Sportsnet

The Blue Jays came into their Wild Card round against the Twins as the American League's sixth seed, whereas Minnesota won their division in the AL Central. Despite this, some experts were still picking Toronto to move onto the ALDS thanks to their outstanding pitching and defence. Unfortunately for them, the pitching and defence wasn't enough in this series to counteract the team's pitiful offence.

The Blue Jays managed to score just one run in the two-game series, thanks in part to their twelve strikeouts in game 2, which is tied for third most in franchise postseason history. Their season long issue of lack of hitting with runners in scoring position persisted in this series too, as the team went went 3-for-14 in these scenarios.

After suffering their third straight 2-0 defeat in an American League Wild Card Series, plus losing the final game of the 2016 ALCS, the Blue Jays have now lost seven-consecutive postseason games, and with that, are tied for the seventh longest postseason losing streak in American League history.

With the team's last postseason win coming in 2016, this team has yet to win a playoff game with the current core. Bichette, Guerrero, Jansen, and Biggio were all called up in 2019, Ryu signed prior to the 2020 season, Springer and Berríos' first year were both in 2021, Gausman, Kikuchi and Chapman arrived for the 2022 season, and this past season was Chris Bassitt's first year with the team.

Bichette himself had a very successful regular season campaign, hitting over .300 and finishing fourth in the American League in hits. He was also one of the few players to have success at the plate in the Wild-Card round. The star shortstop went 4-for-8 in the postseason and scored the team's lone run.