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Blue Jays place shortstop Bo Bichette on IL with quad strain

Bo Bichette is back on the injured list as the Blue Jays continue a make-or-break stretch of their season.

Bo Bichette has been the Blue Jays' best offensive player this season. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Bo Bichette has been the Blue Jays' best offensive player this season. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

The Toronto Blue Jays placed superstar shortstop Bo Bichette on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a right quad strain.

The move is retroactive to Aug. 28, when Bichette exited a game against the Cleveland Guardians after grounding out and gingerly running to first base.

Bichette missed nearly three weeks of action earlier this month after suffering a knee injury on July 31. He returned from the IL on Aug. 19 and played eight games before once again hitting the shelf.

The 25-year-old has been Toronto's most dynamic offensive player when healthy, slashing .314/.344/.488 with 18 home runs in 114 games in 2023.

Infielder Mason McCoy, acquired from the Seattle Mariners in last month's Trent Thornton trade, was called up prior to Tuesday's game against the Washington Nationals. McCoy, 28, has yet to appear in an MLB game over his career. He's hit .192 with a .572 OPS over 21 contests with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons since joining the Blue Jays organization.

McCoy likely won't factor into the starting lineup too often, with Santiago Espinal and Ernie Clement ahead of him in the shortstop pecking order. The Blue Jays' infield has taken quite a hit in recent days, with starting third baseman Matt Chapman landing on the injured list Monday due to a finger issue.

Toronto is in the middle of a make-or-break stretch of its season. The club currently sits 2.5 games back of the third and final American League wild-card spot but won't play a team with a winning record until Sept. 11 against the Texas Rangers.

The Blue Jays will be hoping to take care of business against inferior opponents while Bichette gets healthy. If he only requires the minimum IL stint, he'll be eligible to return on Sept. 8 for the first game of a home series against the Kansas City Royals.