Bichette's magic ride continues for Blue Jays

ST. PETERSBURG -- Bo Bichette is the first to admit that the beginning of his Major League career has been quite the whirlwind.

This time, the Blue Jays’ shortstop doubled to left in the third inning on Wednesday to set the franchise record for the longest doubles streak at eight games. With the two-out stroke to the left-field corner against the Rays, the 21-year-old Bichette passed Carlos Delgado’s seven-game streak in 2000.

“He’s kind of a doubles guy, and I think as he gets older and stronger, those will turn into home runs,” said Major League coach John Schneider, who managed Bichette at Class A Advanced Dunedin in 2017 and Double-A New Hampshire in ’18. “He’s got a knack for finding the barrel, he’s got a knack for getting hits. He’s got a great two-strike approach. He’s kind of what you’re shooting for as a hitter.”

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Toronto went on to top Tampa Bay, 4-3, to win its first series at Tropicana Field since May 5-7, 2017. Along the way, Bichette also extended his career-opening hit streak to 10 games, breaking his own franchise record set the day before.

Not only did his talent and hard work earn him a fast track through the Minor Leagues, they have transferred to the Major League stage in such a way that has been impossible to ignore. Each game against the Rays brought with it either a record-tying or -breaking performance from Bichette, who not only has a hit in every career game but has posted multiple-hit games in eight of 10.

“It’s cool,” Bichette said. “Anytime you can set records, it’s a cool feeling. I’m excited with how I’ve played, and hopefully, I continue to play well and continue to break more records.”

On Tuesday, Bichette became the only player in MLB history to record 10 extra-base hits in his first nine games, and he set a Blue Jays record with 17 hits in his first nine career games.

Bichette wasn’t the only young talent to grab attention in Wednesday’s finale: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. slugged his 19th home run of the season in the fourth inning to break a scoreless tie. The 25-year-old sophomore had 11 as a rookie, making him the fastest in franchise history to hit 30 homers.

It took Gurriel just 143 games to do so, and he tops a pretty elite list with the feat, including Fred McGriff (147), Jose Cruz Jr. (158), Teoscar Hernandez (162), J.P. Arencibia (171) and Carlos Delgado (173).

Joining Gurriel with the heavy bats on Wednesday were Randal Grichuk and Derek Fisher, who homered during a three-run sixth to push Toronto’s lead to 4-0. Each of the Blue Jays’ runs came via the home run in the finale to push their total to 91 since June 16. They entered play tied with the Twins and Yankees for the most in the Majors during that stretch.

On what essentially was a bullpen day, with Toronto opting to use Wilmer Font as its opener and follow with Brock Stewart as its bulk option, the Blue Jays’ bullpen continued to impress, opening the series finale with seven shutout innings.

“I think [catcher Reese McGuire] did a great job of mixing up the pitch-calling, and for the most part, I just tried to focus on one pitch at a time and filled up the zone,” Stewart said. “I thought I competed well, other than those two walks.”

Stewart, who was acquired off waivers from the Dodgers on Wednesday, allowed just two hits over his four innings to earn his first win with the Blue Jays. Ken Giles allowed a two-run home run in the ninth but fanned the last two hitters he faced for his 15th save. Toronto concluded its 10-game road swing on a high note, having gone 7-3 and won two of three series.

“We’ve been swinging the bats really well the whole month, I would say, but now the pitching was really good on this road trip,” manager Charlie Montoyo said. “And that’s how we won this game, because our pitching was really good.”

Having been promoted before the first day of the Blue Jays’ current road trip, Bichette still hasn’t played in his home stadium this season. The past 10 days have happened so fast, he said, that Sunday night was the first time he had time to catch his breath since the whirlwind ride began.

Sitting with his parents at his childhood home in St. Petersburg -- after he went 2-for-5 with a double and a home run, of course, against the Orioles -- Bichette was able to talk about everything for the first time, take a deep breath and let it all sink in.

But what he has been able to accomplish didn’t quite fully hit him until later that evening, when he watched a friend play MLB: The Show 19 … and saw himself on the Blue Jays’ roster on the video game.

“They did a good job [with the character],” Bichette said with a laugh. “It was a surreal moment.”

Because he has been busy putting up video-game numbers in real life, Bichette said he hasn’t yet had a chance to test out his character on The Show. But the short glimpse at the TV screen spoke volumes anyway: He was here. This was it. And he was doing just fine.

“The results are the results,” Bichette concluded after reflecting on his short, but very memorable, Major League career so far. “What I’m happy with is my ability to go in there and have good at-bats every time. Have a plan, stick to the plan and just battle. I’m excited about it.

“I wouldn’t say [I’m surprised]; I think I expect to go out there and compete and do well every day.”