Bo Bichette is activated from the IL and in the Blue Jays' lineup for the first time since July 19

Updated Sep. 17, 2024 7:26 p.m. ET

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ARLIINGTON, Texas (AP) — Two-time All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette was activated from the injured list on Tuesday and returned to the Toronto Blue Jays’ lineup for the first time since July 19.

Bichette was sidelined with a calf injury. He said before Toronto's game against the Texas Rangers that he feels no effects from the injury.

“I’m going to play normal,” said Bichette, who hit a career-low .222 in 80 previous games this season.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said the team would see how Bichette felt each day but that the Jays were "not going to blow him right out of the gates, six, seven (games) in a row.”

With the Jays eliminated from the AL East race and seven games out in the wild-card race with 12 games to play, Bichette said it was important for him to return simply to enjoy playing again.

“I would love to have some results, obviously, but I just kind of feel like I’m ending on a high note already,” he said. “Really, my ultimate goal here is to just have fun playing.”

Bichette, 26, said the biggest difference between this time away from baseball compared to previous rehab assignments was his willingness to listen to his father, Dante Bichette, a four-time All-Star with 274 career home runs from 1988-2001.

“Everybody gets in a mode where they want to know better than their parents, and I probably got there,” Bichette said. “Really just getting back to basics, things he’s already told me throughout my life.”

Schneider said outfielder Daulton Varsho will have rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder, ending his season.

The Blue Jays also placed infielder Will Wagner on the 60-day injured list with left knee inflammation.

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

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