TORONTO (AP) — All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette was activated off the 10-day injured list by the Toronto Blue Jays before Friday's game against the Kansas City Royals and was set to play shortstop and bat second,

Bichette leads the Blue Jays with a .314 batting average and 152 hits despite playing only eight games since the end of July. He’d been sidelined because of a strained right quadriceps since leaving an August 27 loss to Cleveland.

Bichette didn’t play for the Blue Jays between July 31 and Aug. 19 because of right knee patellar tendinitis. Toronto went 8-8 without the two-time AL hits leader.

The Blue Jays went 6-3 in Bichette’s latest absence, a stretch in which Toronto played teams at or near the bottom of the standings in Washington, Colorado and Oakland.

Following this weekend’s series against the last-place Royals, Toronto hosts wild card rival Texas for four. The Blue Jays (77-63) held a half-game lead over the Rangers (76-63) entering play Friday.

To make room for Bichette, Toronto optioned infielder Mason McCoy to Triple-A Buffalo.

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