Blue Jays place Bichette on IL with calf strain, his second trip this season
Published
The Toronto Blue Jays placed shortstop Bo Bichette on the 10-day injured list with a right calf strain and recalled infielder Addison Barger in a corresponding move, the team announced on Saturday.
Bichette, 26, came out of the batter's box limping as he flew out to right to end the sixth inning of Friday's 5-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
He spent time on the injured list in mid-June with a right calf injury, and missed the final four games preceding the All-Star break with ongoing discomfort in the same calf. Leo Jimenez came on to replace Bichette at short for the top half of the seventh.
“I just feel bad for him. It sucks for him and for us," manager John Schneider said after the game.
Bichette's struggles this season have contributed significantly to the team's offensive woes. They rank 25th in the majors with 4.06 runs scored per game.
The Orlando native, who has never finished a season with a batting average below .290 or an on base plus slugging percentage of .802 in his five-year career, is currently sitting at .223 and .597 in those categories.
Barger, who made his MLB debut on April 24 this season, has struggled mightily in two stints with the Blue Jays. He has hit just .150 with no home runs and an OPS of .361.
Toronto continues their three-game series with the Tigers on Saturday.