ARLINGTON, Texas — At this point in the regular season, Bo Bichette doesn’t have many more chances, but with 11 games remaining on the schedule, he’s intent on making the most of the time he has.
First of all, it’s his job to be here when healthy, which he finally is after more than two months of rehabbing a right calf strain. That’s not all, though — there’s personal significance to this return for Bichette after his longest stint on the sidelines since reaching the major leagues in 2019.
“I also just really miss the game,” he said before a 13-8 loss in which the Blue Jays overcame an early deficit only to see their bullpen allow six runs. “I feel grateful to have the opportunity to get back out there and play the game that I love.
“I mean, I’m living my dream here. There’s nothing in the world I’d rather be doing.”
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A rehab assignment with the Blue Jays’ triple-A affiliate reaffirmed that his calf was responding the way it should, and that in turn gave Bichette peace of mind to play freely. There will be some workload management for the 26-year-old over the next two weeks, but whenever he’s on the field he’ll play without restrictions.
Also significant is the perspective Bichette gained during his time away from the team. He’s spoken publicly about his appreciation for the team’s young talent and desire to win alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in Toronto, but conversations along those lines have also occurred privately within the Blue Jays’ clubhouse and with Bichette’s father, longtime MLB player Dante Bichette.
“Probably the biggest thing is I started listening to my dad again,” Bichette said. “Everybody gets (to a point) where they want to know better than their parents. I probably got there. But, really getting back to basics and things he’s always told me throughout my life. And just, I guess, being quiet.”
In his role as Blue Jays manager, John Schneider has noticed how engaged Bichette has been on a wide range of topics.
“How he can improve on the field, in the (batter’s) box, in the clubhouse, as a leader, all this kind of stuff. He’s been really good,” Schneider said. “We’re just excited to have him back.”
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While Bichette contributed two hits, it wasn’t enough on a night starter Chris Bassitt was hit hard by the defending World Series winners. Six of the seven runs Bassitt allowed were unearned, but he still wasn’t particularly sharp, with six hits allowed in 3.2 innings and more walks (3) than strikeouts (2).
“A lot of weak contact,” Bassitt said. “It just didn’t go my way.”
“Weird,” Schneider added. “I thought he was in a good rhythm to start, and that (fourth) inning got away from him a little bit … uncharacteristic of him.”
Despite Bassitt’s tough start, the Blue Jays still tied the game 7-7 thanks to a three-hit game from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and another home run from Davis Schneider. The left fielder had gone nearly three months between homers until this past weekend but he has now gone deep in three straight games, building welcome momentum as the season ends.
“You see him being a little more confident,” his manager noted. “The last handful of games, he’s ending the at-bat when he should end it.”
This latest home run came on a pitch Schneider has often struggled to hit, by his own admission. But this time, he sent Nathan Eovaldi’s 94 m.p.h. fastball over the left field wall for a two-run home run, his 13th on the season.
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Where this leads for Schneider remains unclear. Three straight home runs don’t erase the last three months, of course. At the same time, there’s a real need for a complementary right-handed bat on this roster and Schneider’s late flashes of power are clearly appreciated by team decision makers. The more he builds on this, the better his chances of contributing meaningfully to the 2025 roster.
“His temperament, his work, his attitude, his effort never wavered,” manager John Schneider said. “You’ve got to give him a lot of credit. He stayed consistent through a lot of tough times. And it’s nice to see him get rewarded.”
As for Bichette, Tuesday’s hits represented another step in the right direction, but just being back is significant in itself.
“I’d love to have some results, obviously, but I kind of feel like I’m ending on a high note already,” Bichette said. “Really, my ultimate goal here is to have fun playing and enjoy my time.”
