Blue Jays Will Greatly Improve in This One Key Area Without Bo Bichette in Lineup
In this story:
The Toronto Blue Jays suffered a massive loss when it was announced that starting shortstop Bo Bichette was heading to the injured list.
He is in the midst of an incredibly productive campaign, bouncing back from a 2024 season that was poor because of injury. His numbers at the plate have returned to the levels from 2021-2023 when he was amongst the most prolific hitters in baseball. Replacing that kind of production will not be easy.
Bichette has a .311/.357/.483 slash line through 139 games and 628 plate appearances. He is currently leading the MLB with 181 hits and 44 doubles. 18 home runs and 94 RBI have been produced as well, getting right back on track with a historic month of August for a shortstop.
That production could not have come at a better time for him. Set to hit free agency this winter, he has put himself in a position to earn a lot of money. He will be only 28 years old when Opening Day rolls around in 2026, which should lead to him landing a lucrative, long-term deal.
Blue Jays Defense Will Improve Immensley Without Bo Bichette
Replacing that kind of production at the plate will take a total team effort. However, there are areas of the game where the Blue Jays are going to be able to improve to help offset the loss of offense. There is one area where Bichette’s value is being dragged down: his defense.
Toronto is going to miss his bat in the lineup, but they certainly aren’t going to miss his glove. It is not a stretch to say that their star shortstop is not only the worst defensive player at his position, but also amongst the worst defensive players in the sport overall. According to Fielding Bible, his minus-12 Defensive Runs Saved is the worst out of all shortstops in the MLB.
There are only four infielders -- Brooks Lee of the Minnesota Twins, Brandon Lowe of the Tampa Bay Rays, Kristian Campbell of the Boston Red Sox and Luis Garcia Jr. of the Washington Nationals -- who have worse DRS numbers. In the entire sport, Bichette’s minus-12 is the 13th worst.
Who Will Blue Jays Turn To As Bo Bichette Replacement?
Ernie Clement has played the second most innings on the team at shortstop with 125. Bichette has handled far and away the most innings at 1,139. There isn’t another player who has reached even double-digits yet this season.
The Blue Jays are fortunate they claimed Isiah Kiner-Falefa off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates before the end of August. He very well could be the next man up as the starting shortstop in a playoff race for Toronto. His track record at the plate pales in comparison to what Bichette has accomplished, but Kiner-Falefa is an excellent defender.
The gap in their production can be closed with the work he is capable of doing with his glove.
