Blue Jays’ 2025 postseason was perhaps the single-most significant field for Bo Bichette to be present at in his career. After three playoff exits with zero wins during his time in Toronto, the October glory had finally fallen within grasp. Manager John Schneider & Co. are hard at work to make it a reality, but their star of nearly a decade continues to leave the lineup incomplete.

Despite being ruled out of the ALDS, Bichette and the Blue Jays remained hopeful about his return for the Championship series. SportsNet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith had reported earlier this month that the shortstop was getting better by the day. But Ken Rosenthal’s observations from Monday’s workout paint a concerning picture.

“In my opinion, they have to be concerned, and it’s not so much what I’m hearing but what I’m seeing being by their dugout, he is not walking like a guy who is fully healthy,” Rosenthal reported on Foul Territory. “He’s got a bit of a limp, and to my knowledge, he has not begun running yet. So it doesn’t seem to me that he’s all that close.”

Bichette has now missed 20 games after hurting his knee on September 6th. During a game against the Yankees, the Blue Jays’ $33.6 million cornerstone collided with catcher Austin Wells, which sent him to the ground, wincing in pain. He was soon placed on day-to-day, with no reason for worry. The shortstop himself offered hope ahead of the ALDS, when he admitted, “I’m feeling better. Every day, I’m feeling better…  I will do everything I can in the next four or five days to see what we can do.”

But the progress so far has offered little hope.

Bichette hasn’t returned to running yet, and little time remains before the Blue Jays either sweep the Yankees or be sent home if New York pulls a massive comeback. Either way, the shortstop finds himself in a situation he couldn’t have predicted to be any worse.

In his final year of the contract with the Blue Jays, Bichette put up a career season, recording a league-leading 181 hits in 139 games. He was also hitting .311 with 18 home runs and an .840 OPS. But just when Toronto went on to clinch its first-ever AL East title since 2015 and stood inches away from the ALCS glory, the franchise star remains amiss.

Ernie Clement and Andres Gimenez have been rotating at shortstop in his absence, and it hasn’t been an easy adjustment according to the infielder. But they have managed to hold down New York 23-8 in two games at Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays might as well keep up the momentum if their shortstop is further ruled out, but the 27-year-old’s journey says Toronto’s progress feels incomplete without him.

Bitchette, alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr., have awaited six years to get their hands on the title. The All-Star nods and the MVP votes have come and gone, but the World Series is the ultimate goal for the duo, says Guerrero. After 94 wins and a roster that has been one of the best in the league, it is only right that the Bitchette returns. But to ensure that, the Blue Jays need to hold down the Yankees first.

UPDATE: Bichette has stayed back in Toronto to rehab his knee as the Blue Jays fly to face the Yankees on their home ground. Schneider says, “He’s still progressing… doing everything he can do to kind of get himself ready.”

Blue Jays up for a challenge in Yankee Stadium

Toronto has easily managed to grab a one up over the Yankees throughout the season. They have won 10 of the last 15 games against Aaron Boone’s squad, and went 2-0 in the ALDS. History also says teams that are down 2-0 in a best-of-five series win only 11% of the time.

But at home, the Yankees are 4-2.

Boone is persistent about not letting this series be a sweep with the home field advantage. “It’s about going up and trying to win every pitch,” he says. Schneider faces a tough challenge with the charged Yankees and a roster void of Bichette, but Toronto also seems to have talisman to fall back on.

On September 25, the team brought back the old white-panelled caps, the same ones they wore during their 1992 World Series championship run. What followed was a four-game win streak to clinch the American League East championship. With the momentum on their side, maybe Bitchette finds himself back on the roster soon.