UTK Flash 10/24/25
The Bichette Pivot
Bo Bichette’s return to the Jays lineup comes with a twist and not the kind that’s easy on a knee. Fresh off a Grade II PCL sprain in his left knee, Bichette is back, but not at shortstop. He’s starting at second base, a position he’s never played in the majors.
That’s not random.
The PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) stabilizes the knee against backward movement of the tibia, the larger bone of the lower leg. A Grade II sprain means partial tearing (a sprain is a tear!) and symptoms include posterior pain, instability on deceleration, and discomfort when flexed or pivoted under load, which is basically a shortstop’s daily job description.
Second base, though? That’s a calculated move. The throws are shorter, often more upright, and don’t require the kind of plant-and-fire action off the left leg that a deep in the hole shortstop throw demands. Lateral range is reduced and movement is more contained, with fewer all-out sprints or backhand lunges. (I would like to know how much more, given Statcast makes this knowable.) On double plays, the pivot is smoother for a right-handed thrower at 2B, using the right leg as the driver, while the left (injured) leg becomes more of a stabilizer.
It’s not that second base is easy, but for a guy nursing a still-extant PCL sprain, it’s easier to control and more forgiving if you’re managing symptoms rather than fully healed. Bichette might not be 100%, but the Jays are betting they can still get his bat in the lineup without blowing out the knee again, all while keeping George Springer at DH and Andres Gimenez’s defense in the lineup.
Position change as rehab tool? That’s bold and we’ll learn early if it pays off. The best early indicator will be his positioning. Watch to see if he’s slightly closer to the base than where you’ll see the standard 2B play. If the Dodgers have Tommy Edman out there, he does much the same thing due to his ankle issues. Also, watch to see if they shade the left side of the infield a bit towards second to cut the range a bit. It would leave a larger gap between Bichette and Guerrero, though Guerrero covers more ground than most expect.