Blue Jays' Bichette: 'I'll be ready' for World Series
The Toronto Blue Jays are heading to the World Series, and it appears they'll have Bo Bichette in uniform for Game 1.
"I'll be ready (to play Friday)," Bichette said after the Blue Jays beat the Seattle Mariners in Game 7 of the ALCS, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. "I don't know how they'll use me. I'll be ready."
Bichette hasn't played since spraining his knee in a home-plate collision at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 6. Although there was some hope that clinching a bye through the wild-card round would allow him to return earlier, Bichette had to watch the Blue Jays win the pennant from the dugout.
Before Game 7, manager John Schneider told Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith that Bichette's been making "significant progress" in his recovery. The 27-year-old has been taking batting practice and starting to do some running in an attempt to ramp up for the upcoming Fall Classic.
"I think the baserunning and the defense is something hopefully we can advance and we can check those boxes in the next few days," Schneider said pregame, per ASAP Sports. He's done some light stuff, but hasn't been like full go at short. And he's not back on the bases yet, but the running has picked up in the outfield, just in terms of the intensity and the build-up or the length of it, to be perfectly honest. So, yeah, we'll see how he goes over the next couple days."
Bichette enjoyed a stellar regular season, hitting .311/.357/.483 with 18 homers, 94 RBIs, and 44 doubles over 139 games. At the time of his injury, he was leading the majors in both hits (181) and doubles.
Andrés Giménez, Toronto's primary second baseman, moved over to cover shortstop for Bichette in September and has started all 11 playoff games at the position. Waiver pickup Isiah Kiner-Falefa added some much-needed infield depth down the stretch, and started four games at second during the ALCS.
If Bichette is able to play the field, Giménez could shift back to the keystone. But the Blue Jays could face a conundrum if he can't defend, as George Springer has been their DH for the entire postseason and is currently playing through a knee ailment. Springer has played some outfield in 2025, but has hit far better as a designated hitter this year.
The Blue Jays will host the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday at Rogers Centre.