The Toronto Blue Jays recently felt some pressure from the Baltimore Orioles in the quest for playoff spots in the American League.
The Jays, however, were mostly able to fend off the pesky O’s, in large part thanks to star shortstop Bo Bichette.
The 78-61 Blue Jays put some ground between them and the Orioles, who are now 5.5 games behind.
The fight is not over, but Toronto is in a good position to advance.
Bichette had a marvelous week with the bat to make sure that was the case.
“Bo Bichette had been named AL player of the week. Bichette batted batted .500 (16-for-32) with 11 runs scored, four doubles, one triple, five home runs, 13 RBI and a 1.156 slugging percentage over seven games played. It’s the third player of the week for the #BlueJays this year,” Kaitlyn McGrath, who covers the Jays for The Athletic, tweeted.
Bo Bichette had been named AL player of the week. Bichette batted batted .500 (16-for-32) with 11 runs scored, four doubles, one triple, five home runs, 13 RBI and a 1.156 slugging percentage over seven games played. It’s the third player of the week for the #BlueJays this year
— Kaitlyn McGrath (@kaitlyncmcgrath) September 12, 2022
Bichette Is Red-Hot
You have to really be in a groove to finish a whole week hitting for a .500 average.
Bichette was seeing the ball just fine; and not only that, but 10 of those 16 hits went for extra bases in case you missed it.
Basically, he became prime Babe Ruth for a week, and the Blue Jays won eight of their last 10 thanks to the red-hot Bichette.
The season hasn’t been as successful as 2021, but it has been good nonetheless: in 563 plate appearances, the infielder is hitting .279 with 81 runs, 23 homers, 84 RBI, nine steals and a .794 OPS.
He is as consistent as they come, and Toronto is lucky to have a player like Bichette at the top of its lineup.
Toronto is about to make the postseason, and Bichette will show his considerable talent at the biggest stage.
