Blue Jays face tough update on Bo Bichette’s injury

Many fans spent much of the MLB season waiting for the Toronto Blue Jays (44-53) to live up to their potential and turn the tide. While the Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets all climbed out of the valley they had dug themselves into, the Jays continued to languish at the bottom of the American League East.

Optimism eventually turned to grudging acceptance as the club failed to maintain its momentum. But now this fan base is descending into a state of complete discouragement, a state that could take years to fully heal. With the MLB trade deadline just a week and a half away, the prospects of Toronto becoming a clear seller have increased even further following the latest Bo Bichette injury update.

The two-time All-Star shortstop has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a right calf injury, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Bichette has been working hard for most of what has been a career-worst season, hitting just .223 with four home runs and a horrendous .597 OPS. He has also missed 18 games.

The 26-year-old son of 1995 National League MVP runner-up and four-time All-Star Dante Bichette left Friday’s 5-4 home loss to the Detroit Tigers after being hampered by the strain. Perhaps this latest IL stint will allow him to come back stronger than he was, but the best way to get out of his slump (he was hitting .129 in July) may simply be to get more plate appearances.

With the Blue Jays nine and a half games out of a playoff spot and without one of their top stars for the time being, their fate is essentially sealed.

Several players will be leaving before the deadline, but the question is whether the franchise pillars will also be removed.