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Bo Bichette (11) suffered a knee injury last month and has been working hard to come back.Adam Hunger/The Associated Press
The Toronto Blue Jays left Bo Bichette off their roster for the American League Championship Series, which begins Sunday against the Seattle Mariners. But a couple of key pitchers are back in the mix.
Bichette, the hard-slugging shortstop, has been working hard to come back from a knee injury suffered last month.
He had progressed to hitting and doing some running, but appeared to be in some discomfort while running the bases during Saturday’s workout. So the Jays have left him off for this round of the postseason, just as they did for the ALDS round against the New York Yankees.
“It kind of really just came down to yesterday… just wasn’t ready to go, you know, kind of full speed today.
Schneider said Bichette still plays a role with the team, even though he’s not playing. He’s in meetings contributing.
Blue Jays to start Kevin Gausman in Game 1 of ALCS against Seattle
“Just in talking to him today, he’s like, ‘for this series, my job is to be, energetic and bring the same vibe as if I was playing, and offer the same suggestions’,” said Schneider. “So it’s been hard for him, you. The last three weeks, is trying to get back. It’s a mental grind too, but he’s done a really good job of of helping when he can.”
Pitchers Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt, both left off the roster for the ALDS series, are part of the roster for the ALCS. While the ALDS was a best-of-five series, this series will be a best-of-seven, so the team will need more length in the rotation.
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A Bo Bichette cutout is for sale at the Toronto Blue Jays store outside the Rogers Centre.Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press
“[Bassitt] will be down in the pen ready for anything really,” said Schneider. “I think kind of keeping Max a little bit more geared towards length or start. But you know, these games, they can get hairy in a hurry, so I think they’ll both be available kind of whenever we need them.”
Schneider said both veteran pitchers had remained very engaged during the ALDS, as if both expected they would be needed for the ALCS.
“They were involved with everything… so professional about it, stayed locked in, knew what they had to do physically, to kind of feel a little bit better both of them, and to keep themselves ready,” said Schneider. “They were kind of an integral part, even though they weren’t on the roster.”
In order to insert Scherzer and Bassitt, the Jays removed Justin Bruihl and Tommy Nance.
The position players on this 26-man roster remain the same as the for the ALDS.
The roster includes 13 pitchers, two catchers, five infielders and six outfielders.
Game 1 is Sunday at 8:03 p.m. ET at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman will take the mound for the Blue Jays, while Bryce Miller will start for the Mariners.
