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Why Blue Jays pulled Alejandro Kirk from World Series Game 3 for new catcher
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- Why Blue Jays pulled Alejandro Kirk from World Series Game 3 for new catcher
Why Blue Jays pulled Alejandro Kirk from World Series Game 3 for new catcher originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Toronto Blue Jays have relied so heavily on Alejandro Kirk , their All Star catcher.
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That included in World Series Game 3, when he delivered a go-ahead, three-run homer early in the game.
But in the top of the 12th inning, the Blue Jays pulled Kirk. For however much longer the game would go, Kirk would be on the bench. Tyler Heineman would be in instead.
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Why did the Blue Jays pull Alejandro Kirk?
The Blue Jays pulled Kirk after he reached base in a 5-5 game in the top of the 12th to use a pinch-runner.
The only player they had left on their bench was the backup catcher Heineman, who is faster than Kirk.
So they took the risk that they'd miss Kirk in another trip through the order for the benefit of extra speed.
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Shortly after that, Heineman beat a force out to third base with two outs to keep the inning alive on a play Kirk likely wouldn't have gotten to in time.
Kirk is also a great defender, so that's missing, too. But Heineman isn't bad behind the plate.
It was a calculated risk by manager John Schneider with the World Series tied 1-1 and the game tied, too.
