Alejandro Kirk Fractures Thumb in Week of Notable Accidents

The Blue Jays have misplaced one other key participant to damage.

Alejandro Kirk left Friday’s recreation towards the White Sox within the tenth inning after a foul tip glanced off his glove hand. He instantly dropped his glove, grabbed his thumb, and hustled into the clubhouse with trainers. The workforce after the sport introduced Kirk had fractured his thumb. No timeline for a return was given. Our damage log suggests batters with thumb fractures sometimes return in about 4 to eight weeks, though Kirk fractured the thumb on his catching hand, which may require an extended restoration.

It’s the newest vital damage for the reigning AL champs, who misplaced Cody Ponce final week whereas fielding a grounder in his first begin within the majors since 2021. Trey Yesavage, José Berríos, and Shane Bieber are on the injured listing, as properly, although every is within the “throwing” strategy of his rehab.

Kirk entered 2026 projected by our Depth Charts to be the most effective participant on the Blue Jays and the second-best catcher within the league, with 4.8 WAR. He posted 4.7 WAR in 2025 with a 116 wRC+ in 506 plate appearances and 22 FRV in 118 video games behind the plate. He was the most effective pitch blocker within the league final yr and the second-best pitch framer, behind solely Patrick Bailey.

Toronto missed Kirk instantly. Tyler Heineman got here on to exchange Kirk behind the plate with the Blue Jays holding a 4-3 lead within the tenth inning and the Manfred Man on third. On the primary pitch after the break, nearer Jeff Hoffman bought Austin Hays to swing by means of a slider to safe the second out of inning. That introduced up Derek Hill, who bunted the primary pitch he noticed a number of ft in entrance of the plate. Heineman scampered after the bunt, scooped it up, and threw the ball into proper area; the tying run scored on the error and Hill moved as much as second.

Two pitches later, Tristan Peters delivered a walk-off single to finish the comeback. It was a shrewd little bit of baseball-ing on the a part of the White Sox, difficult Heineman with a troublesome play after he sat on the bench for practically three hours. I’m undecided I’ve ever seen a workforce explicitly goal a participant off the bench like that. Maybe it was out of desperation (Hill, together with his profession 74 wRC+, won’t have been anticipated to choose up successful in any other case), however it labored.

Heineman was a part of the same snafu the following day. With runners on first and second and two outs, Luisangel Acuña hit a squibber previous the pitcher, simply mushy sufficient to stop a play to first. Miguel Vargas, the runner at second, rounded third laborious and bought in a rundown between third and residential. When the ball got here to Heineman, he charged up the road and fired it into left area, permitting two runs to attain.

Regardless of the miscues, Heineman is likely one of the higher backups within the league. Like Kirk, he was a prime defensive catcher final yr, with robust framing and blocking numbers. He additionally held his personal with the bat, posting a 120 wRC+ in 174 plate appearances. Heineman, nevertheless, has robust platoon splits, with a profession 114 wRC+ towards lefties and a profession 76 wRC+ towards righties.

Brandon Valenzuela changed Kirk on the lively roster and made his large league debut Sunday. The 25-year-old Valenzuela is a 40-FV prospect who ranks twenty eighth within the Blue Jays system. As Brendan Gawlowski famous in his 2026 report, Valenzuela “has a backup catcher’s stick,” however he’s a tremendous defender with a robust arm, with the intangibles a workforce may discover endearing as a full-time backup.

Harm Wrap-up

Kirk was removed from the one notable participant to go down with an damage throughout the final week. Let’s run by means of the damage information now. We’ll have separate write-ups on a number of of the accidents talked about beneath:

• Juan Soto landed on the injured listing Monday with a proper calf pressure. He pulled up early whereas operating the bases Friday and got here out of the sport. The damage was initially described as minor, however he’ll now be sidelined not less than two or three weeks. That is clearly a giant blow for the Mets. Soto’s influence wants no introduction: Our Depth Charts projected him for the fourth-most WAR in 2026, and he’s merely among the finest younger gamers ever. Brett Baty figures to get extra time in left area with Soto out, although the Mets have a wide range of utility choices to cowl the nook outfield spots in his absence.

• Mookie Betts was positioned on the injured listing this weekend after leaving Saturday’s win towards the Nationals within the first inning with a strained proper indirect. Dave Roberts stated he believed it occurred on a examine swing. The supervisor didn’t give a timeline for when Betts may return, besides that he believes it could possibly be earlier than the usual absence of 4 to 6 weeks, with Roberts calling the damage “extra average than vital.” Hyeseong Kim was recalled from Triple-A and can cut up time at shortstop with Miguel Rojas whereas Betts is out.

• Astros ace Hunter Brown was positioned on the injured listing Saturday with a proper shoulder pressure. Supervisor Joe Espada stated Brown felt the difficulty throughout his routine throwing program final week. It’s an early blow to a Houston workforce that handled rotation accidents all of final yr. Brown was one of many few pitchers who didn’t require a visit to the IL in 2025, and he helped maintain the Astros afloat deep into the season. There’s no timeline for his return. Spencer Arrighetti will possible pitch in his place.

• Cubs right-hander Cade Horton exited his second begin of 2025 with proper forearm discomfort. He was positioned on the IL on Sunday, and is predicted to get imaging Monday; the workforce will supply an replace on his timeline thereafter. A former prime 100 prospect, Horton completed runner up for Rookie of the 12 months in 2025, when he posted a 2.67 ERA, a 3.58 FIP, and a pair of.2 WAR throughout 118 innings. He opened 2026 because the Cubs’ no. 2 starter. Colin Rea will take his flip within the rotation for now.

• The Cubs will even want to exchange one other beginning pitcher, not less than briefly. The workforce introduced Monday that Opening Day starter Matthew Boyd will hit the injured listing with a left biceps pressure. Boyd sounded optimistic that he’d solely want the minimal time on the injured listing, noting that he would have pitched by means of it if it weren’t so early within the yr. Javier Assad will fill in for now. Together with Horton and Justin Steele, who had Tommy John surgical procedure final yr, Chicago’s prime three beginning pitchers are on the injured listing.

• Mike Trout is taken into account everyday after getting hit on the hand Sunday and exiting the sport early. X-rays revealed his hand is just not damaged. Trout stated after the sport that the swelling in his hand initially scared him, however he was relieved to search out out it’s only a bruise. He expressed frustration with the Mariners hitting him twice over the weekend.

• Justin Verlander’s age-43 season is off to an unlucky begin. He was positioned on the injured listing Saturday with a left hip irritation. The Tigers recalled Keider Montero from Triple-A, who began Sunday in Verlander’s place. The three-time Cy Younger winner stated the difficulty began in his first begin of the season final Monday, when he gave up 5 runs over 3 2/3 innings towards the Diamondbacks, however total he didn’t appear too involved. He informed reporters:

“Form of [around my] left hamstring, was simply kinda working by means of it. After which it was actually sore the following day or two, however it’s been trending in the precise route. And so it was kinda like a wait-and-see recreation if it may get adequate. To be fairly frank, I feel it most likely is sweet sufficient if we needed to push it, however [manager] A.J. [Hinch] and the entrance workplace — and I agree with them — [say] it’s most likely not the time of yr to try this. And we don’t have an off-day to finagle with, which additionally sort of hurts.”

• After Zach Eflin exited his first begin of 2026 with proper elbow discomfort final week, the Orioles positioned him on the injured listing. It was his first begin within the majors since he underwent again surgical procedure final August, which marked his third journey to the IL in 2025. The timeline for the newest damage is unclear, and Eflin is in search of a second opinion from Dr. Keith Meister on Tuesday. The Orioles struggled with beginning pitcher depth in 2025 and had been banking on Eflin returning to the shape he displayed after the 2024 commerce deadline. Dean Kremer will possible take his place within the rotation, although Kremer can’t be recalled till April 9 as a result of he was optioned on the finish of spring coaching.

• Jordan Lawlar was positioned on the injured listing after fracturing his wrist on a hit-by-pitch in Thursday’s recreation towards the Braves. He’s anticipated to overlook six to eight weeks. Lawlar, who has ranked as excessive as fifth on our Prime 100 Prospects listing a number of occasions in recent times, has battled accidents and place log jams all through his skilled profession, delaying his standing as a full-time large leaguer and prompting the Diamondbacks to maneuver him to the outfield earlier than the beginning of this season to search out him common taking part in time. The positional change gave the impression to be understanding; he was off to a scorching begin in his first 20 plate appearances earlier than the damage. Arizona supervisor Torey Lovullo stated he assured Lawlar that his “spot shall be ready for him” when wholesome. For now, Tim Tawa and Jorge Barrosa will get the majority of the taking part in time in left area.

• The Crimson Sox positioned Johan Oviedo on the injured listing Friday with a proper elbow pressure. Supervisor Alex Cora stated Oviedo felt tremendous after his first aid look of the season final week in Houston. A pair days later, nevertheless, Oviedo reported soreness and bought an MRI, revealing the pressure. His fastball velocity was down about 2.5 mph in his first outing. He’ll go to Dr. Meister, who carried out his Tommy John surgical procedure in 2023, to match the MRI from final week to the one from his surgical procedure.