Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette smashes homer on first pitch of intrasquad game

July 15 (UPI) — Toronto Blue Jays infielder Bo Bichette wasted no time at the plate during an intrasquad game as he smashed the first pitch of the clash against his own team over the center field fence for a mammoth home run.

Bichette’s bomb came in a Team Bichette victory against Team Grichuk Tuesday at Blue Jays summer camp in Toronto. Bichette and Blue Jays outfielder Randal Grichuk drafted the teams for the intrasquad clash.

Blue Jays pitcher Jacob Waguespack began the game by tossing a hanging curveball to Bichette. The Toronto slugger responded with a loud crack of the bat. He sent the Waguespack offering deep to left center field, well over the outfield fence.

Waguespack went on to surrender four more runs before the inning ended due to a mercy rule, which limits the amount of runs allowed to be scored in an inning by a respective team. The Blue Jays pitcher did not allow a run in the second inning. Team Bichette starter Matt Shoemaker allowed six hits and four runs in 4.2 innings.

Bichette also drew a walk and had a groundout in three plate appearances. Reece McGuire, Andy Burns and Anthony Alford also hit home runs in the clash.

Bichette — the son of former MLB star Dante Bichette — hit .311 with 11 home runs and 21 RBIs in 36 games during his rookie campaign in 2019. He was a second-round pick by the Blue Jays in the 2016 MLB Draft.

He also hit a home run in an intrasquad game last Thursday in Toronto. Bichette believes the Blue Jays can be a threat in the postseason in 2020 as Major League Baseball prepares for a shortened regular season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Bottom line, we have a lot of really good players in here,” Bichette told reporters. “Short season, long season, I’ve told you guys plenty of times that I think we were going to compete, regardless of 162 or 60 [games]. I believe in everybody in here. I believe we’re a lot better than people think.”

The Blue Jays are scheduled to start the 2020 season with a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at 6:40 p.m. EDT July 24 in Tampa, Fla.