Blue Jays place Alejandro Kirk on 10-day IL after 2-time All-Star catcher fractured thumb on foul tip

Alejandro Kirk was a key ingredient in the recipe that concocted the Toronto Blue Jays’ run to their first AL pennant in 32 years, and the two-time All-Star catcher remains one of the most significant players on the team’s roster.

He’ll be sorely missed while he recovers from a left thumb fracture. The Blue Jays placed Kirk on the 10-day injured list on Saturday, and the 27-year-old backstop’s likely to be sidelined for longer than that considering his injury. He suffered it on Friday during the 10th inning of a 5-4 road loss to the Chicago White Sox.

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When White Sox outfielder Austin Hays fouled off a slider, his foul tip hit the bottom of Kirk’s glove. After failing to reeling it in, Kirk removed his mitt and reached for his left thumb. He called for Toronto’s training staff and then left the game.

With Kirk out, the Blue Jays will turn to Brandon Valenzuela and Tyler Heineman behind the plate. They recalled Valenzuela, 25, from Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday, announcing that he will be active in the afternoon for Toronto’s next game of its series against Chicago. Valenzuela is the Blue Jays’ No. 24 prospect, according to MLB.com.

Meanwhile, Heineman has seven seasons of major-league experience, including five in Toronto. Last year, he played in 61 games and hit .289 with 3 home runs and 20 RBI.

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As for Kirk, he was off to a slow start offensively this season. Coming off an impressive 2025 — in which he slashed .282/.348/.421 and piled up a career-high 15 homers and 76 RBI while also catching in 111 games — he’s hitting only .150 at the moment.

That said, his defensive presence has been pivotal, especially as the Blue Jays have dealt with an assortment of pitching injuries.

They’ve already lost four starting arms to the IL: Cody Ponce (ACL), Shane Bieber (forearm), José Berríos (elbow) and Trey Yesavage (shoulder).

Toronto is off to a rocky start in 2026. The Blue Jays lost their last series to the Colorado Rockies, and their injury situation is tenuous less than a week into April.