Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette left Monday’s game with a knee injury.
He suffered the injury while running the bases, around first base, in the third inning.
According to what Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters after the game, the team is still gathering information.
That could mean Bichette is undergoing some imaging and tests.
Just in case he is required to visit the injured list (which is looking likely), the organization went out and traded for a shortstop.
They struck a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals for fellow shortstop Paul DeJong.
“Breaking: The Cardinals have traded Paul DeJong to the Toronto Blue Jays, source tells The Athletic. @jonmorosi linked the two originally,” Cardinals insider Katie Woo tweeted.
Breaking: The Cardinals have traded Paul DeJong to the Toronto Blue Jays, source tells The Athletic.@jonmorosi linked the two originally
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) August 1, 2023
Now, DeJong is obviously no Bichette.
There are precious few shortstops in MLB that you could say are better than the Jays’ young phenom.
With that being said, getting DeJong was probably a smart move because there is still no word on how long Bichette will be out and the Jays are in the middle of a tight race for a spot in the postseason.
DeJong has his flaws (mainly in the plate discipline department) but contributes power and solid defense.
In 306 plate appearances with the Cards this season, he has slashed .233/.297/.412 with 13 home runs.
He has a 25-homer season and a 30-homer one on his resume, even though his career OBP is a mediocre .305.
The Cardinals entered the day looking to trade DeJong and did it while getting some pitching in return in the form of right-hander Matt Svanson.
Even if Bichette misses no time, adding DeJong is a worthwhile gamble given his defensive chops and ability to hit lefties.
NEXT: Blue Jays Acquire Former Cardinals Reliever In Trade
