Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette is not on the roster for the AL Championship Series vs. the Seattle Mariners.
Bichette has not played since spraining his left knee in a collision on Sept. 6. He ran for the first time Wednesday, hit live pitching Friday and appeared to be in some discomfort as he ran the bases for the first time Saturday.
Game 1 against the Mariners is scheduled for Sunday night at Rogers Centre.
Toronto's offense did not falter without the 27-year-old Bichette in the AL Division Series. The Blue Jays scored 34 runs in the four games and pounded the New York Yankees' pitching for 23 runs in the first two contests at home. But Bichette was one of the team's three best hitters during the regular season.
A free agent this winter, Bichette rebounded from a dreadful, injury-plagued 2024 season in which he posted a .598 OPS in 81 games to his previous All-Star-level form in his platform year. He batted .311 -- tied for second in the AL -- with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 139 games, though he was the worst defensive shortstop in the majors as measured by outs above average and defensive runs saved.
Andres Gimenez, previously the team's starting second baseman, started at shortstop for the Blue Jays in their division series win over Yankees. Utilityman Ernie Clement also played shortstop for Toronto during the regular season after Bichette's injury.
After carrying just three starters in the AL Division Series and deploying a bullpen game in Game 4, the Blue Jays are carrying both Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt -- who finished the season on the injured list with back inflammation -- on the ALCS roster as possible options for length. Both starters threw in a simulated game early in the week at Rogers Centre.
ESPN's Jorge Castillo contributed to this report.
