Alejandro Kirk Shares Blue Jays Move Before Guardians Game

Story by

Gavin Groe

Sat, Apr 25, 2026 ·

2 min read

Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk has been sidelined since the start of April after suffering a fractured left thumb during a game against the Chicago White Sox . His absence has been felt as the Blue Jays have stumbled without him, entering Saturday with a 10-15 record and sitting in fourth place in the American League East.

Kirk was off to a slow start in 2026 before going down, collecting just three hits in his first 20 at-bats. Still, he is clearly capable of contributing much more.

The 27-year-old Mexican backstop has earned two All-Star selections and one Silver Slugger Award across seven seasons in Toronto. His efforts last year helped lead the Blue Jays to their first World Series appearance since 1993.

Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (30)© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

While Kirk works to make his way back onto the field, he has not stopped supporting his club throughout their tough stretch.

Ahead of Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians , the Blue Jays had an open roster spot due to another unfortunate injury setback, as outfielder Nathan Lukes landed on the 10-day IL, joining Kirk.

Toronto filled the vacancy by selecting the contract of corner outfielder Yohendrick Piñango, who is off to a strong start in Triple-A with a .288/.370/.857 slash line across 22 games.

Kirk reacted to the move by resharing the graphic of Piñango being called up to his Instagram story, showing support for the 23-year-old making his MLB debut after seven seasons in the minors.

Kirk will look to join Piñango when he has the chance to. He underwent surgery three weeks ago to insert a screw after the fracture also caused a dislocation in his thumb.

Still, Kirk has not experienced any setbacks and is expected to return sometime in May, giving him a realistic chance to rejoin the roster alongside Piñango in the near future.

With the Blue Jays desperate for stability, his return cannot come soon enough for a team that has struggled to stay afloat without its All-Star catcher.

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.