Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk has been sidelined since April 3 because of a left thumb injury. He suffered a fracture and dislocation that required surgery, and the recovery process has kept him out far longer than the team hoped.
Before going down, the 27-year-old Mexican backstop had appeared in only five games. In his absence, Toronto has turned to Tyler Heineman and rookie Brandon Valenzuela to handle catching duties.
When Kirk was injured, the initial timeline projected a six-to-eight-week absence, putting his return somewhere in mid-to-late May. With June approaching, updates have been limited, and while Kirk has not suffered any setbacks, it appears the Blue Jays are being extra cautious.
© John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
It is easy to understand why. Kirk is one of the most complete catchers in baseball. He is a two-time All-Star and Silver Slugger Award winner, and he consistently grades out as one of the best pitch framers in MLB.
At the plate, he remains productive, especially for a catcher. In 130 games last season, Kirk posted a .282 batting average, .348 on-base percentage, .769 OPS, 15 home runs and 76 RBIs.
Ahead of Monday’s series opener against the New York Yankees, manager John Schneider spoke with reporters and delivered multiple injury updates, including one on Kirk.
Schneider announced that Kirk is progressing and has caught fellow injured list member Shane Bieber during bullpen sessions. However, he has not progressed to full batting practice yet and is still experiencing lingering soreness in his left thumb when hitting rather than catching.
This is notable because Kirk suffered the injury while catching behind the plate, yet the thumb is reacting more during swings. Schneider added that the team expects to know more about when Kirk can begin a rehab assignment later in the week (h/t Shi Davidi of Sportsnet).
The sooner the Blue Jays get Kirk back, the better, but it makes little sense to rush a player with a surgically repaired thumb back into the lineup.
Entering Monday, the Blue Jays sit four games under .500 at 21-25, and a healthy Kirk would be a major boost as they try to climb back into contention.
