Ahead of tonight’s ALCS Game 7, Blue Jays manager John Schneider said the shortstop Beau Bichette Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith says “significant progress” has been being made in recent days.
Bichette had a great year at the plate, but his regular season ended unceremoniously after a collision with a Yankees catcher Austin Wells Early September. Bichette suffered a sprained posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and has not played since.
The Blue Jays still managed to make the playoffs without Bichette and remain viable in the playoffs. Whether Bichette was healthy enough to make the roster was a question with every new playoff series, but he failed to do so. If the Jays can beat the Mariners tonight, there will be a few days of recovery time as the World Series doesn’t start until Friday.
On one hand, having Bichette’s bat back in the lineup would be a huge boost to face the Dodgers in the World Series. His 134 wRC+ this year is .311/.357/.483. On the other hand, it could lead to some tough decisions elsewhere. George Springer Knocked down after a knee foul. He’s still capable of being a designated hitter, but even before the knee injury, he wasn’t playing defense much this year.
Only one person between Bichette and Springer can serve as DH, so if Bichette returns, someone will have to play or be on the bench. Additionally, someone must be struck off the list. Davis Schneider Didn’t get used much in the ALCS as his platoon role wasn’t needed against a Mariners club with few lefties. The Dodgers have more lefties, so he might be more useful against that club. if anyone likes Isaiah Keener-Falefa or Miles Straw Being sidelined instead of Schneider will weaken the club’s defense, which has been a huge part of their success this year.
If they feel they have enough depth to reach the finish line with one less arm, they could also subtract a pitcher. Chris Bassett is pitching out of the bullpen and has only been used once in the American League, so maybe the Jays can live without him or their other relievers.
The Blue Jays are happy to make these tough decisions because it means they will both be in the World Series and Bichette will be back on the field. They obviously have to win tonight’s game first. If they are successful, the focus will once again turn to whether Bichette will return to them.
For Bichette personally, it would obviously be great to get back there. In addition to just wanting to contribute to the team, he’s also a player on the verge of becoming a free agent. Proving he’s healthy before the offseason could alleviate some of the club’s concerns about him.
His offensive talents are undeniable, but he has never been a strong defender and has suffered a series of lower-body injuries in recent years. Right knee and quadriceps injuries kept him on the IL in 2023. Last year, issues with his right calf led to the worst season of his career. This year, he had rebounded significantly before the ongoing knee saga began. Some clubs will certainly question his ability to stick at shortstop long-term and naturally be less willing to invest in him, although playing in a World Series and producing some clutch moments could help him claw back some profitability.
One player who won’t play in the World Series is right-handed Jose Berrios. John Schneider said today that the right-hander has returned to throwing, but his season is over, according to Nicholson-Smith. This isn’t particularly surprising. He ended the season on the injured list due to elbow inflammation. Even before that, he was thrust into the bullpen late in the season as the Blue Jays tried to maximize their postseason rotation.
Still, the fact that he’s already starting to throw is good news for the 2026 rotation. The Blue Jays will lose both Bassett and Max Scherzer Become a free agent. Sean Bieber He’ll likely follow these two out of town, as he has a $16MM player option that he should decline in favor of a $4MM buyout and return to free agency. On paper, next year’s possible rotation includes Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavich and Berrios, and people like that Eric Lauer, bowden francis, angel bastardo, Ricky Tiedemann A mix of others. The Jayhawks will likely be in search of starting pitching this winter, and Berrios’ serious injury will only increase that need.
Photos by John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images
