Blue Jays SS Bo Bichette leaves game against Orioles because of sore right knee

TORONTO (AP) — Toronto Blue Jays shortstop and American League batting leader Bo Bichette left Monday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning because of a sore right knee.

Bichette hit a two-out single to right field off Orioles right-hander Kyle Gibson and made the turn for second, but started to slow up as he saw Anthony Santander throwing the ball to the infield. Bichette then stopped running and reached for his knee. Shortstop Jorge Mateo came over and tagged Bichette to end the inning.

The Blue Jays said Bichette left the game because of right knee discomfort.

Bichette leads the AL with a .321 batting average. He reached on an infield single in the first and leads the AL with 144 hits. The son of former slugger Dante Bichette has 17 home runs and 59 RBI in 106 games this season.

A two-time All-Star, the younger Bichette led the AL in hits in 2022 and 2021.

Santiago Espinal replaced Bichette at shortstop in the fourth.

Toronto entered play Monday at 59-47, tied with Houston in the wild-card race. The Blue Jays came in 5 1/2 games behind the AL East-leading Orioles.

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