Bo knows hitting.
And it's quite the sight for sore eyes in Toronto.
Bo Bichette had a miserable 2024 season for the Blue Jays. He batted just .225 while battling injuries. For a player who had felt like a franchise cornerstone, it raised lots of worry.
But no need to fear any longer: The real Bo Bichette is back.
Bichette is the MLB leader in hits through Aug. 5, a convincing 10-hit lead over second-place Manny Machado. Bichette has knocked 143 hits already. The gap of 10 hits is the same gap between Machado in second and Brent Rooker in 11th.
The hits have resulted in a .300 average for Bichette, who has been healthy and leads the league in at bats this season, too.
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Bichette already has 33 doubles, 15 home runs and 74 RBI. This is the hitter he always looked like he would be for a long time.
Bichette batted .311 in his short debut season, then .301 in the shortened 2020 season.
By 2021, he was at full throttle, hitting .298 and leading the AL with 191 hits.
In 2022, he was again the league leader in hits (189) with a .290 average.
If not for a short injury stint in 2023, he would've led again, as he raised his average to .306 with 175 hits in 135 games.
But all of a sudden in 2024, Bichette could never get going. It created all sorts of questions heading into this season, when Bichette was set to be a logical extension candidate.
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There's still no deal done, but Bichette is hitting again, and he's made that 2024 season look more and more like an outlier.
At age 27, Bichette is tracking to lead the league in hits for a third time already. It'd be quite the accomplishment.
And after a season of struggle, it's a great feeling for the Blue Jays and their fans to know that the Bo they knew so well is back and as good as ever.
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