TAMPA BAY -- The Toronto Blue Jays want Bo Bichette back as soon as possible, but that day won't come during the regular season. After getting a second opinion on the strained PCL in Bichette's left knee, the team announced the shortstop will be out until at least the postseason.

"He's not gonna be back for the regular season," manager John Schneider said. "But I think just working hard to be back as soon as he can after."

The Jays entered Tuesday's contest against the Rays sitting five games up on the New York Yankees in the American League East. Their playoff odds sit at 100 percent and the division odds at 97.2 percent, per FanGraphs. Bichette's absence won't throw Toronto's playoff push into disarray -- October appears a near certainty at this point. But Bichette's bat is a cornerstone in any playoff lineup and Toronto hopes to get him back in time.

Bichette injured his knee sliding into home during Toronto's road loss against the Yankees on September 6. He returned to the game after a lengthy rain delay but hasn't played since. The shortstop flew to a specialist in Dallas for a second opinion on the ailing knee early this week to reevaluate and determine next steps.

"Nothing further required," Schneider said, "other than kind of rest and rehab and getting back as soon as he can."

In the second half, Bichette was one of Toronto's hottest batters. He hit .370 with a .989 OPS, driving in 41 runs in 46 games. Despite missing the last eight games, Bichette entered Tuesday leading baseball in hits. The 27-year-old undoubtedly restored value ahead of free agency this offseason, but the knee injury could sidetrack a potential final shot to earn playoff success in Toronto.

With Bichette out, Ernie Clement and Andrés Giménez slid over to shortstop. Giménez played the team's last five games at the position, and, in his brief stint, grades out as a plus shortstop, per Statcast. In the eighth inning of Monday's extra-inning win over the Rays, Giménez dove to his right, snaring a hard grounder and popping up to fire it to first to snuff the inning.

At least defensively, the Jays can survive Bichette's absence, even if it leaks into October. But there's no replacement for his contact-dominant offence. If Toronto can bring back Bichette's bat, even in a designated hitting role, it will benefit. That may be the most realistic return.

"In a perfect world, if he can come back and play short, yeah, great," Schneider said. "... But if we can get his bat back, I'll take it."

Having Bichette in an October lineup at DH would force some creativity. With Anthony Santander working back in Triple A and George Springer manning regular time at DH, the move could force sub-par defenders to the field or big bats to the bench. But to get Bichette back in the lineup, it would be worth it.

At this point, Bichette must recover enough to force that decision. The Jays hope he will begin baseball activities at some point this week, Schneider said, but he's been ruled out until at least October. The Jays, currently leading the American League, can buy the shortstop four extra days of rest by locking up one of the league's top seeds. A free pass to the Division Series would give Bichette 18 more days to get back to the plate -- in October, that's where they'll need him.

"He's going to do everything he can to get back as soon as he can with us," Schneider said.

Blue Jays' Bo Bichette (left knee) will be out until at least the postseason