Bo Bichette will not be suiting up for the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees.
The star shortstop has been day to day as he continues to work his way back from a knee sprain. Jays manager John Schneider said on Friday that the decision was “coming down to the wire.”
Toronto opens its best-of-five series at home on Saturday against the Yankees.
Bichette was injured on Sept. 6 against the Yankees on a play at home plate.
Before the injury, the 27-year-old was leading Major League Baseball with 181 hits in 139 games. He finished tied for second despite missing the final three weeks of the season. Bichette also batted .311 and hit 18 home runs to go along with 94 runs batted in.
Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, shown pitching for the Jays against the Boston Red Sox in Toronto, was also left off the team’s 26-man roster for their AL Division Series. He didn’t pitch between March 29 and June 25 because of right thumb inflammation. (Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
Scherzer, Bassitt left off series roster
Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer was also left off the Toronto Blue Jays’ 26-man roster for their AL Division Series.
The pitcher was 1-3 with a 9.00 ERA in his last six starts. This includes a Sept. 7 loss to the Yankees in which New York took advantage of the 41-year-old right-hander tipping pitches with his change-up.
An eight-time All-Star, Scherzer was 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 starts after agreeing to a $15.5-million US, one-year contract. He didn’t pitch between March 29 and June 25 because of right thumb inflammation.
The Blue Jays will be without regular season wins leader Chris Bassitt in the series against the Yankees. He hasn’t pitched since Sept. 18 because of lower back inflammation. (Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
He has a 221-117 career record with a 3.22 ERA, winning World Series titles with Washington in 2019 and Texas in 2023. Scherzer is 7-8 with a 3.78 ERA in 30 postseason games.
Scherzer is joined by fellow veteran pitcher Chris Bassitt on the sidelines. The right-hander is 11-9 and led the Blue Jays in wins, but he hasn’t pitched since Sept. 18 because of lower back inflammation.
Thirteen pitchers were included in Toronto’s roster for the series with the Yankees, including Kevin Gausman, who will start Game 1.
The Blue Jays are looking for their first post-season victory since 2016. Toronto was swept in three wild-card series appearances between 2020 and ’23.
