Bichette impressing early in Jays' camp, Payamps claimed

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette has impressed his manager Charlie Montoyo early in the club’s camp. Photo: Toronto Blue Jays/Twitter (File photo)

February 22, 2021

By Andrew Hendriks

Canadian Baseball Network

It's a tale as old as time.

In baseball, the first day of full-squad spring workouts is almost always reserved for boundless optimism, the promise of warmer days ahead, and players arriving at camp in the best shape of their lives.

While it is often considered cliche to dive into just how good a player physically looks on Day 1, Blue Jays infielder Bo Bichette appears to be this year’s exception to the rule.

"Defensively, his hands, his arm, everything looks better than it did last year," said Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo in a Zoom conference with the media on Monday. "All credit to him, to what he was doing this off-season."

Flashback to 2020, a season that saw the sophomore finish second behind Lourdes Gurriel for the team lead in batting average.

Riding an eight-game hit streak, Bichette was on an absolute tear when he hit the IL with a right knee strain on August 16. At the time of his injury, the 22-year-old led the Blue Jays in both batting average (.361) and on-base percentage (.391) while amassing nine extra-base hits across his first 14 games.

He would go on to miss just over half of the Blue Jays’ 60 contests on the year, returning on September 12 and finishing his final 15 games by slashing just .242/.266/.355 with seven runs scored over that stretch.

In the American League Wild Card Series, Bichette was hitless in six at bats.

"I didn't like how I ended the season last year. Physically, defensively, offensively. Every part of the game," explained the Blue Jays infielder. "I was healthy enough to produce at a higher level than I did,"

Like many in the game, Bichette felt the strain of playing a professional sport during a pandemic, admitting that he let it affect his mental state during the 2020 season.

"Last year took a toll on everybody, and I think that I didn't handle it as best as some of the guys around the league did. For me, it's about learning from that and not making the same mistake."

With the knee issue now behind him, Bichette is set on regaining the form he demonstrated over the first three weeks of last year's season.

Montoyo wasn't the only one excited about Toronto's shortstop following the club's first full-squad workout on Monday.

"We have similar mindsets," said Marcus Semien when asked about working with Bichette early on in camp.

"We work really hard. When I'm feeding him throws to second base, he says just throw it anywhere, and I'll adjust. I was the same way when I was playing shortstop. I'm excited to work with him, and I'm very impressed with how he looks."

PAYAMPS CLAIMED

Ten days removed from being claimed by Toronto, RHP Joel Payamps is packing his bags and heading 2:15 south of Dunedin.

The 26-year-old right-hander was claimed off outright waivers by Boston on Monday, ending his brief tenure with the Blue Jays.

Through parts of eight minor league seasons, the 6-foot-2 product of Santiago, D.R. owns a cumulative ERA of 4.15 with 576 strikeouts against 205 walks. He has made 119 starts in 145 minor league appearances.

Monday's move clears a spot on Toronto's 40-man roster.

-Follow Andrew Hendriks on Twitter (@77hendriks)