Jays' Bo Bichette held out of starting lineup, pinch-hits in World Series Game 2

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TORONTO (AP) — Held out of the starting lineup a day after returning from a knee injury, Blue Jays infielder Bo Bichette grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning of Toronto's 5-1 loss to the Dodgers in Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday night.

Bichette remained in the game at second base after grounding out on the second pitch he saw from Los Angeles right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He replaced Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who went 0 for 2 before departing.

A two-time All-Star shortstop and two-time AL hits leader, Bichette went 1 for 2 with a walk in his return to the lineup in Friday’s 11-4 Game 1 win. It was his first action since spraining his left knee in a Sept. 6 collision with New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells.

Alejandro Kirk, who hit a two-run homer during a nine-run sixth inning Friday, took over for Bichette in the cleanup spot in Game 2.

Before the game, Blue Jays manager John Schneider said he didn't want to push Bichette too hard.

“Just kind of gauging how he’s feeling," Schneider said. "He’ll be ready to play today, for sure. This is stuff we talked about, even leading up to the decision to put him on the roster. I thought he was good yesterday and just want to watch him physically, but he’ll be ready to hit and play whenever.”

Friday’s series opener was Bichette’s first game at second base in six years. He saved a run when he ranged to the shortstop side of second to glove Teoscar Hernández’s third-inning grounder and throw him out at first. Will Smith, who had been on second base, had to stop at third.

Bichette finished second in the major leagues to Yankees slugger Aaron Judge with a .311 batting average this season, hitting 18 homers with 94 RBIs in 139 games. The 27-year-old is eligible for free agency following the World Series.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb