Bichette returns from knee injury and sparks Blue Jays in World Series debut

TORONTO (AP) — Favoring his injured knee and clearly not fully healed, Bo Bichette still managed to spark the Toronto Blue Jays in his World Series debut.

Bichette singled early, walked to begin a nine-run sixth inning and made a nice defensive play in his first game at second base in six years, helping the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-4 on Friday night in the World Series opener.

“That was everything that I could have hoped for,” Bichette said. “I definitely had to work on some stuff and get comfortable.”

A two-time All-Star shortstop and AL hits leader, Bichette hadn’t played since spraining his left knee in a Sept. 6 collision with New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells.

Batting cleanup, he favored the knee and was removed for a pinch runner with the score 2-2 after his leadoff walk against Blake Snell in the sixth.

Bichette's replacement, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, scored on Ernie Clement’s single off reliever Emmet Sheehan for a 3-2 lead. Nathan Lukes drew a bases-loaded walk and Andres Gimenez added an RBI single. Addison Barger greeted Anthony Banda with the first pinch-hit home run in World Series history.

“That was something else. That was a feeling I’ve never felt before in my entire career," Bichette said. "I felt like I left my body and I was on the field with him.”

Alejandro Kirk capped the rally with a two-run homer.

Bichette saved a run when he ranged to the shortstop side of second to glove Teoscar Hernandez’s third-inning grounder and throw him out at first. Will Smith, who had been on second base, had to stop at third.

“Good enough to make the play,” Bichette said of his knee. “I'm just grateful to be here and have the opportunity to make a play like that.”

Bichette played 30 games at second over four minor league seasons, the last time on April 17, 2019, with Triple-A Buffalo. Giménez, a three-time Gold Glove winner at second, stayed at shortstop against the Dodgers after moving there to fill in while Bichette was sidelined.

Bichette's performance impressed Toronto manager John Schneider.

"He gets a knock on a 3-0 changeup and then working the walk, man, was really impressive," Schneider said. “Bo’s a tough guy to walk. He’s up there ready to hit. So I thought he handled himself really well. His at-bats looked like him. The play up the middle was kind of the thing we were looking for, and he handled it, made a good throw.”

Bichette, first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and center fielder Daulton Varsho combined to become the first trio of sons of former major leaguers to start for one team in a World Series game.

George Springer remained at designated hitter for Toronto and went 2 for 4 with a pair of singles. The outfielder's mobility has been a bit limited since he was struck on the right kneecap by a 95.6 mph pitch from Seattle's Bryan Woo in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.

Bichette was added to Toronto's roster for this round along with infielder Ty France, a right-handed bat as the Blue Jays prepared to face an opponent with four left-handed relievers. They dropped outfielder Joey Loperfido and right-hander Yariel Rodriguez, leaving them with 12 pitchers.

“He’s gotten back to an incredible position physically, has looked really good in all of his live at-bats and is a good matchup against this team, and that contributed to the decision to keep the extra pitcher off,” general manager Ross Atkins said.

Bichette was second in the major leagues to Yankees slugger Aaron Judge with a .311 batting average this season, hitting 18 homers with 94 RBIs in 139 games. The 27-year-old is eligible for free agency following the Series.

“I’ve been here my entire career, worked really hard to build a winning culture — not alone, of course, with some people that are really close to me,” he said. “My goal is to stay here for my entire career, but right now, I don’t have time to think about that.”

Los Angeles added right-handers Edgardo Henriquez and Will Klein while dropping lefty Alex Vesia and righty Ben Casparius. Vesia is not with the team in Toronto because of a family matter and will miss the Series “unless something unforeseen happens,” according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

“Just considering, obviously, what he’s going through, baseball’s certainly on the back burner,” Roberts said.

Former closer Tanner Scott was not added. The left-hander was dropped from the Division Series roster following surgery on Oct. 8 to remove an abscess from an infection on his lower body.

“He’s thrown a couple bullpens. It just wasn’t quite there,” Roberts said.

Clayton Kershaw, who was left off the Dodgers' Wild Card Series roster and did not pitch in the four-game NL Championship Series sweep of Milwaukee, is on the World Series roster. The 37-year-old left-hander, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, plans to retire after the Series.

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AP freelance writer Ian Harrison contributed to this report.

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