Blue Jays hope to get shortstop Bo Bichette back during playoffs

TAMPA Fla AP Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette will miss the remainder of the regular season with a sprained left knee but the AL East leaders hope to get him back during the playoffs Bichette has been sidelined since Sept He saw Dr Dan Cooper in Dallas on Monday for a second opinion which matched the first a sprained knee no structural damage and no surgery required The only time frame you can put on it right now is he s not going to be back for the regular season Blue Jays manager John Schneider revealed before Tuesday night s tournament against Tampa Bay But I think he s working hard to be back as soon as he can after Toronto began the day with the best record in the American League and a five-game lead in the AL East over the New York Yankees with to play If the Blue Jays win the division and finish with one of the top two AL seeds they d open the postseason Oct at home If they wind up in a best-of-three Wild Card Series that would start Sept Schneider indicated Monday it s realizable Bichette could initially return at designated hitter before he s ready to play defense Bichette was at the club s spring training complex in Florida on Tuesday morning doing rehab work and was expected to join teammates at George M Steinbrenner Field The plan is for him to begin baseball exercises later this week Second opinion was positive Schneider explained It kind of authenticated what the first one was just sprained to his knee nothing further required other than rest and rehab and getting back as soon as he can Questioned if pain was a factor Schneider revealed it s more about comfort as Bichette ramps back up What that looks like swinging the bat running the bases all that kind of stuff the manager announced That was part of the second opinion too making sure there was nothing we have to revisit and just seeing how he does as he ramps up The -year-old Bichette a two-time All-Star was injured Sept on a play at home plate against the Yankees and landed on the -day injured list retroactive to Sept Bichette was having a strong season before the injury batting with home runs RBIs and an OPS in games He leads the majors in hits and doubles Bichette who can become a free agent after the World Series this year is the son of former major league slugger Dante Bichette AP MLB https apnews com hub mlb Source