Nationals vs. Blue Jays Monday MLB injury report, odds: Bo Bichette, Matt Chapman likely out for Toronto

A few weeks ago, the Toronto Blue Jays were in great shape for an AL wild card spot, but then the Seattle Mariners got scorching hot and the Jays are currently on the outside of the playoff field looking in. While they are -250 home favorites on the SportsLine consensus for Monday's series opener against Washington, the Jays will most likely be without two key hitters in Bo Bichette and Matt Chapman.

Bichette, an All-Star this year, left Sunday's loss against Cleveland with tightness in his right quad after grounding out in the bottom of the fifth inning. Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Bichette has been playing through the quad issue and that it's not related to the right patellar tendinitis that put Bichette on the IL earlier this month.

The 25-year-old is second in the AL in batting at .314 and leads in hits, and has 18 homers and 62 RBI. When he missed 16 games with that tendinitis issue, the Jays were 8-8. Around the trade deadline, the Jays pitched up Paul DeJong as shortstop depth, but he has since been released and signed with the Giants.

While there is no concern about Bichette going back on the IL, Chapman might be headed there. He missed three games last week with right middle finger inflammation and started Sunday but was pulled for pinch-hitter Whit Merrifield in the top of the sixth inning with more finger troubles. Chapman was scheduled for an MRI. He's hitting .248 with 15 homers and 50 RBI, leading the AL with 36 doubles.

It's probably a good thing that ace right-hander Kevin Gausman is pitching Monday, and he's still very much in the AL Cy Young race as a +700 third favorite behind the Yankees' Gerrit Cole (-210) and Mariners' Luis Castillo (+280).

Gausman (9-8, 3.23) is only 1-3 this month despite a 3.97 ERA due to some poor run support. He is second in the majors with 195 strikeouts. Gausman will face the Nationals for the first time since 2021 while he was with the Giants, and he's 8-3 with a 4.77 ERA in 54.2 career innings against the Nats.

Washington has won series at the Yankees and Marlins on this road trip. Since July 8, the Nats are 27-16, tied for the second-best record in the National League. Right-hander Josiah Gray (7-10, 3.85) is on the hill. He had really struggled this month but turned it around last Tuesday in the Bronx, allowing one run over six. Gray has a 2.73 ERA on the road compared to a 5.76 mark at home. 

SportsLine's 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Bible has the best sleepers, breakouts, busts, rookie breakdowns, target analysis, rankings and so much more -- all in one place!