The Blue Jays announced that they have placed shortstop Bo Bichette on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to August 1, due to right patellar tendinitis. His roster spot will go to newly-acquired shortstop Paul DeJong, while the club also recalled right-hander Thomas Hatch and optioned righty Nate Pearson. Keegan Matheson of MLB.com and Shi Davidi of Sportsnet relayed the details prior to the official announcement.
The Jays haven’t released any information about how long they expect Bichette to be out of action, but it will be a blow to the club regardless. He suffered the injury on Monday, pulling up after rounding first and trying to stop to go back to the bag. Yesterday, manager John Schneider said there was “no significant structural damage” and that the club was still deciding on an IL stint. It now seems they have made the call to let Bichette have at least a week-plus to rest his knee.
The fact that the IL stint was a tough decision perhaps indicates he’s in for a quick stay, but that will still be an unwelcome development for the club. Bichette is hitting .321/.352/.494 this year for a wRC+ of 135, the highest such mark among qualified shortstops this year. The Jays will have to proceed without that production for a little bit as they have some key divisional matchups. They have two more games against the Orioles, after dropping the first two of the four-game set, before heading to Fenway Park for three against the Red Sox. The Jays hold a Wild Card spot in the American League but Boston are just a game and a half back coming into today’s action.
For now, the Jays will try to proceed with DeJong in Bichette’s spot. He was just acquired from the Cardinals at yesterday’s deadline, likely spurred on by Bichette’s injury, and is in the lineup at shortstop tonight. He has bounced back from a really rough showing last year, when he hit .157/.245/.286 while striking out in 33.3% of his plate appearances. He’s dropped the strikeout rate to 28.4% this year while slashing .233/.297/.412. His wRC+ of 96 is still a bit below average but is miles better than his 55 wRC+ from last year.
Even with the bounceback, DeJong’s offensive numbers still pale in comparison to Bichette’s. DeJong’s glovework is generally considered stronger between the two, which should make up some of the difference, but it’s unquestionably a challenge for the Jays. Once Bichette is healthy, DeJong could perhaps move over to second base. Whit Merrifield is having a solid season but can also play left field.
Tendinitis is frustrating. Hope Bichette heals-up fast.
Hatch has no business being on the 40-man.
This year in 4 innings he’s given up 5 hits, 1 earned run, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts. Tiny sample size, but not terrible.
Now do AAA stats where the sample isn’t small.
Or look them up yourself.
Didn’t have to. Stats are garbage. Same with 2022. Since you brought up his crappy MLB 4 innings you could at least have an honest conversation rather than an ignorant one.
You say his AAA stats are garbage, yet you also say you haven’t seen them. Which is it?
Never said I did not see his stats. I said I didn’t have to. Nonetheless you should delete your comment to save face.
Now calculate Hatch’s stats after today’s effort. Go….
When Bichette is not in the lineup, you know he’s hurt. The guys an Iron man.
DeJong has played a grand total of 21 games at 2nd.. You keep him at SS and use Bichette if Paulina needs a day off. He’s their SS now. Bo has to earn it back.
I don’t know about “earning” it back. As soon as he’s healthy he’s a starter.
Just imagine thinking you know anything about baseball and saying a player leading the AL in batting and hits has to earn his spot back lmaoooo
Imagine living life without being able to recognize sarcasm. Lmaoooo
Jays are going nowhere this year. They will not win [again]. They will not go deep into the playoffs. Wait for it. Good on Shapiro and Atkins for trying and picking up a few pieces but make it a building year for next year, this is not their year.
If you say so, SIR!
Spend some serious time in putting out forest fires. dude, half your country is on fire, and the residue is choking the US
The smoke from the fires can be bad here too…..And Trudeau is spending too much time not with his wife…. at the cottage….
JimmerTree! I thought you were dead! OMG, no wonder the Jays are in last place — because you weren’t there to guide them! Please, please, please get your opinion out there so Atkins knows what to do!
Jimmer wasn’t talking baseball, TM. What are you trying to say here?
It’s time for Springer & Guerrero to step up and fill in on the offensive side to help out while their #1 hitter is on the shelf.
It’s time for Varsho to figure out how to hit.
Building year? No, THIS is the year.
Good luck replacing Merrifield, Chapman, finding another OF bat assuming Varsho moves to CF for Kiermaier, plus a second OF bat to give Springer DH time. Oh, and the Jays need bullpen help.
Jays are a bad 2024 start away from a teardown. This is the year. Atkins failed to land the corner OF/DH bat they needed.
Nobody got any bats they needed unless you are talking Pham, Canha, Candelario, or Carlos Santana. And are they really going to make that much difference to the acquiring teams? The prices were way too high for legitimate bats. Heck the Yankees didn’t even pick one up.
They needed an OF corner bat to push Varsho to the bench, particularly a RH bat. Much like previous years the Blue Jays did not go after positions of need.
Just because guys were traded does not mean they were not available. If Tiedemann was the only untouchable, Jays had plenty of prospects to land that RH outfield bat no matter what the team-owned media says.
Its a building year. The Jays will not go anywhere in the playoffs. Wait for it. In these very pages the Jays were called as not having enough qualify depth in the starters and that would be their undoing.
Atkins and Shapiro have done some good stuff with signing some pitching but then they trade quality for a Varsho [that was called a BAD trade at the time].
When management is wasting time over the years trying Vladdy at 3rd, or hiring Charlie Manuel, not to mention Mitch White or Anthony Bass, or or or….
It is an Alphonse and Gaston thing in the front office of the Jays.
Building year? How many “building years” does this team need? 2023 IS the year. Next year you need a 3B, 2B (or a SS depending on Bo who should be at 2B), CF, maybe a corner OF if Springer going to DH. Plus bullpen help.
Yes, Ryu, Whit, Chapman, Belt and Kiermaier come off the books. Probably not a single AAA player can replace them adequately.
2023 was the time to unload the prospects. Go full 2015 Jays. Otherwise 2024 is teetering on a teardown.
The Jays can’t ride only 1 iron horse into the playoffs (Bo). The whole rest of the team better get hitting or they can forget about a deep run into the playoffs yet again. Way to many players are not hitting even close to their potential. Vlad, Springer, Chapman, Kirk, Varsho and KK all have to wake up their bats! Leaving runners in scoring position has been their biggest challenge this year. I’ve lost count how many times they’ve had bases loaded and nobody out and they don’t score a run!
Just my two cents…..