NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Bichette did some running Wednesday for the first time since spraining his left knee last month, and the Toronto Blue Jays still hope their starting shortstop will be able to return to the lineup later this postseason.
A two-time All-Star, Bichette ended the regular season on the injured list and was left off the roster for the AL Division Series against the New York Yankees. But he took at-bats in a simulated game Tuesday in Toronto against teammates Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt, then joined the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium.
“The last three days have been pretty positive for him," Toronto manager John Schneider said Wednesday before the Blue Jays advanced with a 5-2 victory over the Yankees in Game 4. "Running today for the first time. We’ll take it a day at a time and just listen to how he’s feeling.
“In talking to him when he got here yesterday, I think he’s probably turned the corner a little bit in terms of making some steady progress. It wasn’t just kind of hitting in the cage, it was facing some live pitching and knowing that he was going to be running today for the first time.”
Bichette hasn’t played since Sept. 6, when he sprained his knee in a collision with Yankees catcher Austin Wells.
AL East champion Toronto won the best-of-five Division Series 3-1 and will open the best-of-seven American League Championship Series at home Sunday against Detroit or Seattle.
“I think he’s making some strides, and we’ll continue to take it a day at a time,” Schneider said.
Andrés Giménez, a three-time Gold Glove winner at second base with Cleveland, has shifted from second to shortstop with the Blue Jays lately to help fill in for Bichette.
The 27-year-old Bichette put together a strong season before getting injured, hitting .311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 139 games. He finished second in the majors in batting average to Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.
Bichette, who can become a free agent after the World Series, is the son of former major league slugger Dante Bichette.
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Toronto Blue Jays Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Beau Bichette celebrate with teammates after winning the American League East Division title following MLB baseball action against the Tampa Bay Rays, in Toronto, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — McLaren driver Lando Norris clinched his first Formula 1 title at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.
Red Bull driver and defending champion Max Verstappen won the race with Norris placing third behind his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in second, which allowed Norris to finish two points ahead of Verstappen in the season-long standings.
Piastri was also in contention for his first F1 title and finished third in the standings, 13 points behind Norris.
The 26-year-old Norris became the first British champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2020, and he also denied Verstappen a fifth straight title.
Norris entered the three-way battle 12 points ahead of Verstappen and 16 ahead of Piastri.
Verstappen started from pole position for Red Bull with Norris on the front row beside him and Piastri third on the grid. Verstappen needed Norris to be fourth or lower and Norris had to finish outside the top five if Piastri won.
Verstappen's astounding late-season charge came close to unseating both McLaren drivers after they had shared the lead throughout the season and then were undone by driver and team-strategy errors.
But even Verstappen's season-leading eighth win and 71st of his career could not stop Norris, who kept his composure on Sunday having been under severe pressure in recent weeks.
The McLaren motorhome erupted with joy and CEO Zak Brown congratulated Norris on the team radio in his usual jovial manner.
“Lando, this is Zak from McLaren. Is this the world champion hotline? You did it! You did it! Awesome," Brown said.
Norris didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He did both.
“Oh my God, thanks so much. I love you guys. Thanks for everything,” Norris said and then broke down in tears.
After crossing the line, Norris stayed in in his car for a few moments, visibly emotional. His parents were on the side of the track and he went over to hug them before celebrating with his McLaren engineers and mechanics.
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McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia steers his car during the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain crosses the finish line to become the wprld champion during the Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Andrej Isakovic, Pool via AP)
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain crosses the finish line to become the world champion during the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain celebrates after becomin a rold champion after the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car followed by McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain during the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car followed by McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain during the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia, left, and McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain, center, and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands attend the drivers parade ahead of the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia watches his team mate Lando Norris of Britain speak to media before the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain, left, and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands talk before the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
