Blue Jays’ Bichette still contributing as recovery moves ‘quicker’ than anticipated

TORONTO – Eager to contribute whereas sidelined by patellar tendonitis in his proper knee, Bo Bichette is watching the Toronto Blue Jays by means of a little bit of a unique lens, breaking down what he picks up from the dugout and sharing something which may assistance on the sector.

“When you’re playing, you’re in the game more, obviously, and you have more of a feel for what’s going on, but you’re more focused on what you need to do and what you need to accomplish to help the team,” explains the all-star shortstop, who throughout his absence has routinely sidled as much as teammates, generally with an iPad in hand, providing up a nugget of data. “When you’re sitting on the bench, you see what all people’s doing so it’s undoubtedly a unique perspective. …

“It’s really tough to tell somebody about mechanics or anything like that in the middle of a game. So I just try to help with what I see, if I feel like they’re rushed too much, or if I feel like they’re looking for the wrong pitch, things like that. It’s not easy, but I do my best.”

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In doing so, the 25-year-old is avoiding going too stir-crazy as he recuperates, one thing Bichette feels he’s managed higher than anticipated to date. Helping, too, is that his restoration is “moving along a lot quicker than anybody anticipated,” and whereas he didn’t wish to speculate on a timeline, a rehab project at triple-A Buffalo within the coming days is a risk, maybe organising a return shortly afterwards, barring setbacks.

So much must fall into place first for that to occur.

On the weekend, Bichette ran the bases and took grounders and the plan was for him to do it once more Monday, through the workforce’s break day, earlier than making any additional choices.

“It’s been pretty good running,” Bichette says of his knee. “I assume I nonetheless have a bit of little bit of second-guessing on braking down after the dash, however it feels fairly good.

“Hitting has been pretty seamless from Day 1. I didn’t hit until three days after (the injury) but I was never worried about hitting. Defence I’ve done pretty much everything except for plays way to my right, slow rollers, or plays way to my left. That’s something that I’m going to have to accomplish. But so far everything feels good and comfortable.”

All that will be examined throughout a rehab project aimed toward “continuing to build confidence in (the knee) rather than needing the at-bats.” Bichette final performed July 31, when he got here out of a 4-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles after rounding first and stopping exhausting en path to second.

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He’d skilled “pain in that area” earlier than “doing the same thing, but it was always just kind of like nagging, never anything crazy,” says Bichette. “So when I felt the pain, I had a feeling of what it might be, it was just probably 10 times worse than it had ever felt. I personally wasn’t worried that anything was like, seriously wrong, but obviously it hurt enough to get me out of there.”

And it ate into his enviable sturdiness.

To that time, he’d missed just one recreation this season, June 21 on the Miami Marlins with thumb discomfort, however has been out for 13 extra since.

“I actually feel like I’ve handled (the absence) a little bit better than I thought,” says Bichette. “It’s powerful. I wish to be on the market. My objective is to play each recreation. Obviously, I wasn’t going to in any case, however my subsequent objective was 161. I’m not going to have the ability to accomplish that, however proper now I’m simply centered on getting again as fast as I can. 

“Knowing how I am, I’ve tried to make sure that I’m really paying attention to what’s going on and not trying to push it quicker than it (needs). But it feels really good right now and hopefully I can be back soon.”

—

BELLINGER BANGS: A imaginative and prescient of what might need been for the Blue Jays came to visit the weekend when the resurgent Cody Bellinger went 4-for-12 with a homer, three RBIs and three runs in serving to the Chicago Cubs take two of three at Rogers Centre.

Before the previous NL MVP signed a one-year pillow deal that ensures $17.5 million with a mutual possibility for 2024, he was pursued by the Blue Jays and Bellinger says, “I definitely considered it. I’ve heard nothing but good things about everything. It was definitely an option.”

Ultimately, although, he joined the Cubs, offered on “the ability to go out and play and play how I know I could play, to get that opportunity right.”

Bellinger capitalized and has been among the many hottest hitters in baseball for an prolonged stretch, batting .404/.440/.657 in 182 plate appearances over 44 video games since June 24, with 11 homers and 37 RBIs. At 4.2 bWAR and counting, he’s on tempo for his finest season since profitable NL MVP in 2019, turning issues round after consecutive down years that prompted the Dodgers to non-tender him final fall.

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Cubs supervisor David Ross praised Bellinger’s “consistent mindset coming in and a belief that these are the things I want to change and I worked on the off-season, whether it was strength, his health and swing mechanic stuff. … Outside of a little bit of a slow start, he’s been really good for us consistently this year. That consistency has created a belief in himself and a confidence in himself where once a guy like that who’s has had success in the past, it’s really easy for them to build on that and have that.”

All of it units up Bellinger, certain to say no his finish of the mutual possibility, to be the highest place participant accessible in a free-agent class decidedly missing in offensive impression. Two-way star Shohei Ohtani is clearly in a category of his personal, with Matt Chapman and Teoscar Hernandez among the many different headliners.

Understandably, Bellinger isn’t sharing his plans for the long run, describing free company as an “interesting process” and including that “I’ve loved my time here (with the Cubs). I love the fans, love Wrigley. We’ve got a great team. I’ve definitely enjoyed my time here.”

As for returning to the market, “I understand the process a little more, a little different circumstances hopefully this year, and just kind of see what we’ve got. But I mean, honest to God, I’m not really thinking about it, I try to focus on the game every day.”

His efficiency clearly demonstrates that, Bellinger saying, “I feel really consistent, really, really good with myself day in and day out.”

How groups worth his two years of wrestle into their gives for the 28-year-old this fall can be fascinating to see. But for a Blue Jays workforce that has 4 key pending free brokers in Chapman, Kevin Kiermaier, Brandon Belt and Whit Merrifield and doubtlessly $70 million coming off the books, circling again to Bellinger, the way in which they did after twice lacking out on Kevin Gausman, definitely appears to make numerous sense.

—

DANNER’S UNUSUAL DEBUT: Hagen Danner was on one-hour of sleep Friday when he started his prolonged trek to Toronto for his big-league debut, feeling nothing however happiness as he went from Worcester to Boston to Buffalo to the Rogers Centre, driving himself by automotive after doubling again to fetch his passport.

Hours later he was on the mound, fulfilling a dream that just about disappeared when he gave up on catching after the 2019 season. Never thoughts that he made it by means of solely seven pitches earlier than struggling a left indirect pressure, he’d lastly made it.

“No matter what happened, it was the best thing that’s ever happened in my life,” says the 24-year-old. “Going out there and running in from the bullpen, the fans cheering, it was like a movie, honestly, that’s what it felt like. I know it was quick, but I was able to, while I was out there, actually take a look around and see how beautiful it was.”

Danner started his transition to pitching through the pandemic season of 2020, crushed down by the rigours of attempting to hit daily. “I kind knew going into it the switch was my only option,” he says.

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With a giant fastball and a promising slider, he rapidly made progress and was pushing towards the majors final 12 months when elbow points slowed him. This 12 months, he rapidly rose to triple-A Buffalo after a quick, dominant stint at double-A, and put himself on observe with a high-90s fastball “consistently in the zone and my slider really working for me.”

During the drive from Buffalo to Toronto, he mirrored “on what a journey it’s been.”

“It’s felt like I’ve been in the minor leagues for so long but I realized that I’m still 24, I’m young and I got to the big-leagues by the time I told myself I wanted to,” Danner continues. “To me that’s insane. From catching and struggling there, mental health, and all that stuff, getting here made it all worth it.”

As for what occurred on the mound, “I have no idea,” he says. After retiring Seiya Suzuki on two pitches, he felt one thing on a first-pitch slider to Yan Gomes. The ache elevated over his subsequent 4 pitches, two sliders and two down-velocity sliders, earlier than he doubled over, unable to proceed.

“It was weird, thoughts were racing when it happened. I tried to get through the batter. When I threw the one fastball up and it got to 3-2, it was not a good feeling,” he says.

Still, that received’t be Danner’s lasting reminiscence. He was in a position to rejoice the debut, truncated because it was, along with his household and associates afterwards. “I’ll be back from this injury. I’ll be all right,” he says. “I got the first one out of the way and hope for a lot more.”

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