Bo Bichette Getting A Breather Monday
Bo Bichette is getting a day off on Monday against the visiting Kansas City Royals. With Bichette getting a blow, Isiah Kiner-Falefa is starting at shortstop and is hitting eighth against Royals right-hander Jonathan Bowlan. Rookie Addison Barger will play third base and bat in the nine-hole for Toronto. It's a good time for the 26-year-old Bichette to take a day off, as he has just one hit in 18 at-bats in his last five games to drop his season slash line to .210/.263/.305 with just one home run and 10 RBI in 105 at-bats. Kiner-Falefa will be a pretty mediocre, low-upside DFS option on Monday against the Royals. The 29-year-old has never faced Bowlan and is hitting .240 (18-for-75) on the year with a homer, six RBI and two stolen bases.
Source: Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Source: Toronto Blue Jays
Bo Bichette Could Hit Leadoff Or Cleanup
Bo Bichette will hit in the lineup this year, but the skipper mentioned both the leadoff and cleanup spots as possibilities. "2,3 Vlad and Tony (Santander), and then from there could be Bo (Bichette).. could be Bo 1, could be Bo 4, depending on who we're facing," Schneider said. If Bichette doesn't hit cleanup, veteran outfielder George Springer is another possibility. The cleanup spot would be a bit of a surprise after the 27-year-old was one of the biggest busts of the 2024 season, but he has made 106 starts in the cleanup spot in his career. Hitting cleanup would certainly give Bichette more chances to drive in runs with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Anthony Santander hitting ahead of him, but it wouldn't necessarily guarantee a bounce-back. Bichette could be a nice value play if he slides in drafts because of his poor 2024 campaign.
Source: Hazel Mae
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider is undecided on where shortstop Source: Hazel Mae
Bo Bichette Leading Off In Spring Training Opener
Bo Bichette is batting at the top of the lineup in their first spring training contest on Saturday afternoon. Bichette was typically slotted in the three or four holes during the 2024 season but saw nine opportunities in the top spot. The 26-year-old had the worst season of his six-year MLB career in 2024, posting a .225/.227/.322 slash line with 16 doubles, four home runs, and just five stolen bases. During the campaign, Bichette battled a calf injury and a finger injury, which hindered his production. However, seeing him at the top of the order suggests he is a full-go and past these injuries. Prior to his disappointing season, Bichette held a stellar .299/.340/.487 line across his first five MLB campaigns. Given his previous production in the majors, if he performs well in spring training, he could become a popular bounce-back target in drafts.
Source: Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Source: Toronto Blue Jays
Bo Bichette A Full-Go For Spring Training
Bo Bichette (finger) is a full-go for spring training. Bichette said he had the pin in his broken finger removed long ago and feels normal. "Bo looks like Bo, which is really, really refreshing," said manager John Schneider. "We kind of operated without one of best bats last year in Bo. So having him back is going to be big." The 2024 season was a lost one for the 26-year-old after injuring his calf and fracturing his right middle finger late in the year. Bichette's OPS dropped to a ghastly .599, and he also stole only five bases for the second straight season. He was one of the biggest busts in all of fantasy last year, but with better health, it's totally conceivable that he could bounce back to being one of the better fantasy shortstops in 2025. RotoBaller has Bichette ranked as the No. 15 fantasy shortstop after his brutal 2024 campaign.
Source: Sportsnet.ca - Shi Davidi
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Source: Sportsnet.ca - Shi Davidi
Bo Bichette Has "No Real Interest" In Re-Signing With Toronto
Bo Bichette has "no real interest" in re-signing with Toronto, according to a source. Bichette is currently in the final year of his contract, and it looks like the infielder will test free agency after the 2025 season. Bichette was very productive over the first five seasons of his big-league career but struggled last summer, as he posted a career-low .225/.277/.322 slash line. He hit just four home runs and stole five bases. He generated a poor .303 xwOBA and .375 xSLG, both well below the average marks. In 2023, Bichette posted a strong .306/.339/.475 line with 20 home runs and 20 doubles. With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also set to enter free agency after this season, it appears the Blue Jays will focus on re-signing him over Bichette. However, fantasy managers should expect Bichette to continue to operate as the starting shortstop in Toronto in 2025, and he could be worth drafting, as he should be expected to bounce back in a contract year.
Source: Bob Nightengale
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Source: Bob Nightengale
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