Toronto Blue Jays starting catcher Alejandro Kirk has not caught a pitch in MLB since April 3. Kirk suffered a fractured and dislocated left thumb on a foul tip that required surgery. Since then, Toronto has spent nearly two months without its starting catcher while navigating injuries throughout the roster and trying to stay competitive in the American League East.
Kirk entered the season coming off the best year of his career, hitting .282 with 15 home runs while establishing himself as one of baseball’s top defensive catchers. He also played a key role during Toronto’s 2025 postseason run, adding five home runs as the Blue Jays advanced to the World Series. While rookie Brandon Valenzuela has provided solid production in his absence, Kirk’s overall impact behind the plate remains difficult to replace.
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Now, the Blue Jays are one step closer to getting him back. According Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling, Kirk cleared the final checkpoints in his recovery on Tuesday after catching a live batting practice session and facing live pitching in Dunedin. As a result, the Blue Jays have decided to begin his rehab assignment with Single-A Dunedin on Wednesday.
Kirk is expected to serve as the designated hitter initially before gradually returning to catching duties as the organization continues to manage the workload on his surgically repaired thumb.
The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon added that Kirk will likely need at least 20 at-bats before the Blue Jays consider activating him. Rather than targeting a specific return date, Toronto is using that benchmark as the primary indicator of readiness.
Assuming he plays regularly, that timeline would put a potential return sometime in mid-June. The Blue Jays have been cautious throughout his recovery and are expected to maintain that approach during the final stages of his rehab assignment.
Toronto enters Tuesday’s matchup against the Atlanta Braves at 29-31 and third in the AL East. The Blue Jays are 8.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays, and adding Kirk back to the lineup would be a significant plus as they look to gain ground in the division race.
