Latest Bo Bichette injury update could take him off the market for good

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette left the team's 5-4 loss against the Detroit Tigers on Friday after six innings due to a strained right calf. Bichette hit a line drive to right field in the bottom of the sixth inning and appeared to injury his calf while running to first base.

The calf is the same one that Bichette has struggled with throughout the season. He missed nine games with a sore right calf before returning on June 24, then sat out the final four games before the All-Star break after suffering a right calf fascia strain during a game against the San Francisco Giants on July 10.

The Blue Jays have clearly fallen out of contention in a competitive American League East, and they're bound to be picked apart for pieces before the trade deadline on July 30.

Bo Bichette's injury could take him off trade market for good

Bichette has emerged as a candidate in trade rumors recently, but this injury could keep him out of any trade conversations moving forward. Bichette was placed on the 10-day injured list after undergoing an MRI on Friday.

Even if the MRI results come back negative, the string of calf injuries will likely force Toronto to keep Bichette on the injured list beyond the 10-day minimum.

It's unclear if the Blue Jays would have been willing to trade Bichette regardless of the injury. Toronto has reportedly told teams they are unwilling to trade any players who are under control beyond 2024, and Bichette is currently signed with the team through 2025.

In early June, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins seemed to oppose the idea of trading Bichette.

“It just doesn’t make any sense for us,” Atkins said. “There will be occasional times when you’re talking to other executives, when they’ll ask if you’d consider it, and we just say it’s not something that we have spent any time on. Because they are so talented and such great teammates, they are attractive to other teams, so they will call.”

Still, Bichette recently said he wouldn't be "surprised at all" if he was traded to another team. The shortstop is batting a career-worst .223 with a .597 OPS through 79 games this season.

The two-time All-Star is struggling this season, but he could easily have a bounce-back campaign on a more competitive team. But for now, it seems that Bichette won't be appearing in a game — for the Blue Jays or for another team — for some time.

As Blue Jays manager John Schneider said, "It sucks for him and for us."