Bo Bichette is one of the cornerstones of the Toronto Blue Jays franchise, an efficient and at times powerful hitter and slick fielder who has helped lead the team's resurgence in recent years. On Tuesday, the Blue Jays placed the struggling shortstop on the team's injured list, according to a report from veteran baseball scribe Jon Paul Morosi.
The news came amid word of the Blue Jays' bullpen suffering another injury. With the injuries, this could lead to some trades by the Blue Jays.
The latest news on Bichette is a further blow to a team that already finds itself 14 games behind the first-place Yankees in the American League East and five games out of the final Wild Card spot, currently held by the Minnesota Twins.
Bichette heads to injured list
The Blue Jays added Bichette to the IL while recalling Orelvis Martinez from the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. Martinez is a 5-foot-11, 200-pound shortstop who hails from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.
Martinez is the 68th-ranked prospect in the minor leagues according to MLB.com's Thomas Harrigan. He's also ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect in the Blue Jays organization according to MLB Pipeline and is now a part of the Jays' active 26-man roster.
The ex-minor-leaguer is the Bisons' team leader in numerous offensive categories, including home runs with 16, RBIs with 46 and runs scored with 46. He hit his 16th dinger of the season this past Sunday against the Worcester Red Sox.
Blue Jays' first-half outlook revisited
Major League Baseball's All-Star break is happening in mid-July, giving John Schneider's team plenty of time to rally and draw within striking distance of the Yankees beforehand.
The addition of Orelvis Martinez could be a positive in both the short and long term if he's able to channel his talents and skills from the minors and revel in the challenge of replacing one of MLB's best shortstops. If the moment is too big for Martinez and he falters, it could be curtains for the Blue Jays' hopes of positioning themselves as a contender before the All-Star break.
Bichette wasn't playing his best baseball, but he's still one of John Schneider and the Toronto Blue Jays' spiritual and emotional leaders as well as a veteran presence whose good habits rub off on his teammates. Needless to say, Orelvis Martinez has big shoes to fill for Toronto in his major-league debut and beyond.
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