The Blue Jays are already stuffed with a few injuries. Cody Ponce, Shane Bieber, and Trey Yesavage are all sidelined in the IL, and now another name has just been added. This time, their catcher, Alejandro Kirk, took the hit. The Jays not just went down against the White Sox in the series opener, but also lost Kirk in the 10th inning. And as per the latest report, Kirk might be out of action for a minimum of 10 days!
“Alejandro Kirk placed on IL with fractured left thumb,” Underdog MLB reports.
While catching in the 10th inning against the White Sox, a foul tip hit Kirk’s left thumb. White Sox batter Austin Hays fouled a pitch, and it clipped the bottom of Kirk’s glove, where his would be. This led to him leaving the field with the trainers. The visible pain on his face was enough to create panic among the Blue Jays fans, and the X-ray result confirmed their worst fear. Kirk’s left thumb took the hit badly.
Alejandro Kirk placed on IL with fractured left thumb.
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) April 4, 2026
“It’s more the thumb. It sucks. It hurts, especially on a cold day,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider.
So now, as Kirk has been sidelined for 10 days, Tyler Heineman will step into the primary starting role. To fill the open roster spot, the Blue Jays are recalling catching prospect Brandon Valenzuela. He will act as Heineman’s backup.
However, it would still be difficult for the Jays to compensate for the loss in their offense.
For reference, the $58 million slugger batted .282 last season and graded out as one of the best defensive catchers in the American League. Hence, just when the Blue Jays are struggling with a 4-3 record, Kirk getting sidelined might come as their biggest challenge for the next two weeks.
This is a developing story…
