Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette making strides in recovery from knee injury

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NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Bichette did some running Wednesday for the first time since spraining his left knee last month, and the Toronto Blue Jays still hope their starting shortstop will be able to return to the lineup later this postseason.

A two-time All-Star, Bichette ended the regular season on the injured list and was left off the roster for the AL Division Series against the New York Yankees. But he took at-bats in a simulated game Tuesday in Toronto against teammates Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt, then joined the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium.

“The last three days have been pretty positive for him," Toronto manager John Schneider said Wednesday before the Blue Jays advanced with a 5-2 victory over the Yankees in Game 4. "Running today for the first time. We’ll take it a day at a time and just listen to how he’s feeling.

“In talking to him when he got here yesterday, I think he’s probably turned the corner a little bit in terms of making some steady progress. It wasn’t just kind of hitting in the cage, it was facing some live pitching and knowing that he was going to be running today for the first time.”

Bichette hasn’t played since Sept. 6, when he sprained his knee in a collision with Yankees catcher Austin Wells.

AL East champion Toronto won the best-of-five Division Series 3-1 and will open the best-of-seven American League Championship Series at home Sunday against Detroit or Seattle.

“I think he’s making some strides, and we’ll continue to take it a day at a time,” Schneider said.

Andrés Giménez, a three-time Gold Glove winner at second base with Cleveland, has shifted from second to shortstop with the Blue Jays lately to help fill in for Bichette.

The 27-year-old Bichette put together a strong season before getting injured, hitting .311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 139 games. He finished second in the majors in batting average to Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.

Bichette, who can become a free agent after the World Series, is the son of former major league slugger Dante Bichette.

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