The Toronto Blue Jays have been without All-Star catcher Alejandro Kirk for much of the season. Kirk underwent surgery to repair a fractured left thumb suffered in a game against the Chicago White Sox on April 3.
The good news for the Blue Jays is their star catcher is nearing a return. Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet reports that Kirk will embark on a rehab assignment with Single-A Dunedin. Zwelling cautioned it will still be some time before the two-time All-Star will be returning to Toronto.
Kirk cleared final rehab hurdles by catching a live BP and hitting against live pitching in Dunedin. He’ll still need an extended run of play before he’s activated
The Blue Jays enter play on June 2 with a 29-31 record. They are tied with the Texas Rangers for the final Wild Card spot. There isn’t much separation in the race, with only three AL teams outside three games of Toronto’s position.
Getting Kirk back could serve as an emotional boost to the Blue Jays. The club has suffered an avalanche of injuries on the season, especially to the starting rotation.
How the Blue Jays Fared in Alejandro Kirk’s Absence
Brandon Valenzuela admirably filled in for the Blue Jays at catcher with Alejandro Kirk recovering from thumb surgery.
In Alejandro Kirk’s absence, the Blue Jays have held down the catcher position fairly well. Brandon Valenzuela has taken on the bulk of the catching duties. The rookie catcher has put together a solid .235/.328/.382 slash line with a 103 wRC+ in his first 38 big league games.
The Blue Jays have also gotten strong defense from backup Tyler Heineman. While his bat hardly strikes fear into any pitcher, as he’s hitting .141 with a .380 OPS, he gives the club a veteran defensive presence. Statcast currently ranks him at +6 fielding run value, with strong marks as a receiver, blocker, and thrower.
The strong performance from the Valenzuela and Heineman tandem, considering the circumstances. Toronto has gotten 1.0 fWAR from their No. 2 and 3 options behind the plate. The two have kept the Blue Jays from falling out of the postseason picture.
With Kirk nearing a return, the organization will have to decide who the backup will be. Valenzuela has all three minor league options left, so he could be the corresponding roster move. That gives the organization the most roster flexibility, while retaining Heineman as the backup.
There will be a return to play protocol for Kirk, as he’s activated from the injured list. However, he should assume the primary catching responsibilities for the rest of the season.
Blue Jays Getting Healthier in a Key Stretch of the Season
GettyDylan Cease will head to Triple-A Buffalo for a rehab start, as the Blue Jays rotation gets healthier.
Alejandro Kirk isn’t the only Blue Jay nearing a return. Per Ben Nicholson-Smith, three of their starting pitchers are set to make rehab starts this week. Shane Bieber, Max Scherzer, and Dylan Cease will pitch for Triple-A Buffalo.
Getting any of those starters back is a welcome sign. The rotation is currently held together by the quartet Kevin Gausman, Patrick Corbin, Trey Yesavage, and Spencer Miles. Corbin, in particular, has been the unsung hero, as he’s produced a 3.65 ERA in 10 starts after signing a $1 million deal.
The Blue Jays could have a roster crunch with their rotation, but a different kind. For much of the season, they’ve scrambled to survive each turn through. However, once their pitchers get healthy, they’ll have to decide who the best five are and how to configure their bullpen.
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