TORONTO — Addison Barger walked up to Bo Bichette’s locker in the Toronto Blue Jays’ home clubhouse. Reporters filled the room three hours before the team’s Wednesday intrasquad game.
Barger quietly opened a cabinet at the shortstop’s stall and removed a metal knee brace. He then turned to rush out of the clubhouse with the brace in hand. Bichette, who hasn’t played since suffering a knee sprain on Sept. 6, was nowhere to be seen. He was also absent from the 15 Blue Jays position players who bounced off the left-field foul line to warm up for the day’s simulated contest.
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Bichette is hitting in the cage but has yet to start running. A potential return for the American League Division Series, which opens Saturday in Toronto, looks increasingly unlikely.
Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider remained vague and cautiously optimistic on Bichette’s status on Wednesday. Atkins called him day-to-day. Schneider said he’s doing everything he can to return.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was a bit more direct, acknowledging the potential that the Jays could enter their first division series in nine years without the star shortstop.
“We miss him,” Guerrero said. “But that’s God’s plan. Whatever God has for us, we’ll take it. To us, I hope we win this series, and he’s coming back for the next one.”
There was no formal proclamation on Bichette’s ALDS status. The Jays, Schneider said, won’t make that decision until Friday. “I’ll never put anything past Bo,” the manager added. But with 72 hours until Toronto’s postseason begins, there is writing on the wall. It’s not entirely legible, but it doesn’t read great for the shortstop’s status.
Yesavage set for playoff appearance
The Jays haven’t yet finalized rotation plans. They’ve got a couple options, Schneider said, but haven’t named a starter for Game 1 or Game 2. Kevin Gausman, though, is an obvious choice to start the series. The one pitching confirmation, or as close to it as the guarded Jays were willing to offer up, is that Trey Yesavage will be on the October pitching staff.
“I would expect him to be a part of us preventing runs,” Atkins said.
All three of Yesavage’s outings at the big-league level this year were starts. He posted a 3.21 ERA in those starts, and the Jays won all three games. However, three of his final seven minor-league appearances came in relief. On Wednesday, Schneider said he’s comfortable with Yesavage working in either role in the postseason.
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Gausman and Shane Bieber are Toronto’s rotation locks, but the Jays must choose which two of Yesavage, Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer will join them for a best-of-five division series. Yesavage’s first big-league outings came at Tampa Bay’s minor-league home, Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, and one home start to finish the year. His next outing may come at Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium. They’re hostile environments that he’d embrace.
“It would be crazy,” Yesavage said. “They have some very passionate fans there. It’d definitely be different from what I’ve experienced so far. It would be really cool to pitch in either one of those spots.”
Chris Bassitt and Ty France recovering
Bassitt, who can come off the injured list ahead of the ALDS, is progressing “very well” from back inflammation, Atkins said Wednesday. The right-hander will throw multiple innings in Thursday’s intrasquad game to ensure he feels good ahead of the postseason. He could rejoin the rotation, bumping Scherzer, who struggled in September. Alternatively, the righty could “help in a variety of roles,” Schneider said. Bassitt, originally drafted as a reliever, pitched out of Toronto’s bullpen once this year. Schneider often remarks that Bassitt “does weird well.” October is a time when things get weird.
It’s unclear if Ty France, who suffered an oblique injury last week, would have a spot on Toronto’s postseason roster. He’s jockeying for jobs on the bench with Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Davis Schneider and Joey Loperfido. But the first baseman is “feeling better,” Atkins said, and hopes to face live pitching this week.
“He’s progressing at a level that he could be a factor for us,” the GM said.
Division series start times
Major League Baseball announced start times for the Jays’ first two playoff games this weekend.
If the Red Sox advance out of the wild card, the games will be at 1:08 p.m. ET on Saturday and 4:08 p.m. on Sunday. If the Yankees advance, both games will start at 4:08 p.m. ET.
(Photo: Aliza Chambers / MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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