Where does Bo Bichette actually fit in the Blue Jays World Series lineup?

Recent rumblings have indicated that star shortstop Bo Bichette will be ready for the Toronto Blue Jays in their World Series matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bichette had been on the sidelines due to a knee injury since early September, but appears to be finally healthy enough to return to the lineup in the most important series of the year (or as a matter of fact, this century) for the Blue Jays.

But with the Blue Jays having a pretty much set daily playoff lineup ever since the ALCS matchup against the Seattle Mariners that just so happens to be working well already, where would Bichette actually fit in for the World Series?

Where does Bo Bichette actually fit in the Blue Jays World Series lineup?

As for the answer to that, Blue Jays manager John Schneider has recently hinted how the 27-year-old infielder could play when activated for the series. According to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com, when Schneider was asked where he intends to insert Bichette into the lineup, whether it be at shortstop, second base or as the designated hitter, Schneider said, "I could see all three of those things happening, to be honest with you."

So it appears as though the plan isn’t quite as simple as returning Bichette to his usual stomping grounds at shortstop. Apparently, both second base and DH are options that Schneider will be considering when deploying his star infielder in the lineup. But in reality, which of the positions would actually be best for Bichette?

First of all, given his extended absence from his recovery from his knee injury, the logistical option would be to put him in the DH spot. That way, it minimizes any potential chance of Bichette in re-injuring himself enduring the rigors playing in the field while maximizing his potent bat usage at the plate.

However, doing so would mean George Springer would need to be back in the field, as there is no way Springer will be coming out of the lineup just for Bichette. But remember the ALCS hero is also currently playing with a bum knee after being hit by a pitch during the previous series, so inserting him back into the outfield could potentially be detrimental to both Springer and the Blue Jays’ defense. As a result, that option should be out the window.

Secondly, putting Bichette back at shortstop makes sense as it is his natural position and would most likely be comfortable playing back at that spot. However, Andrés Giménez has been rock solid in that position defensively since taking over.

Not to mention that he has also contributed nicely offensively as well from the bottom of the lineup, whether it be a big home run or the crucial sacrifice bunt to set up the big dawgs at the top of the lineup. So you definitely don’t want to take both his clutch defense and quality bat out of the lineup as it would be too significant of a loss.

Therefore, second base appears to be the best option of the three, with Isiah Kiner-Falefa currently occupying that spot. There’s no doubt Bichette’s bat will be a massive upgrade over Kiner-Falefa. As for defense, obviously being a former Gold Glove winner, Kiner-Falefa will hold a slight advantage over Bichette. But as many will recall, most of Bichette’s defensive deficiencies have come from his throws, as his positioning and path to the ball have been strong.

So even though he hasn’t played second base at all at the major league level, given his pure athleticism and the fact that his throws to first will now be considerably shorter in length, Bichette should be able to seamlessly pick up the new position without too much trouble.

As a result, when Bichette is officially ready, look for the star infielder to potentially make his return and debut at second base to fortify the Jays lineup in their World Series faceoff against the Dodgers.