The Rogers Centre erupted last Friday as it played host to the long-awaited return of Blue Jays backstop Alejandro Kirk. Kirk suffered a fractured and dislocated left thumb, putting him on the 60-day IL, and in his return, he did not skip a beat. Kirk went 3-for-3 in his first game back and on the very first pitch of the game successfully challenged a called ball, immediately making his presence felt. His return provides a major boost on both sides of the ball and is set to address several early-season issues for Toronto.
Kirk’s Return Impacts Blue Jays
Alejandro Kirk Adds Length to the Blue Jays’ Lineup
The overarching theme of Toronto’s lineup so far this season has been inconsistency. George Springer hasn’t put up the numbers he produced a year ago, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continues to struggle. Though Kazuma Okamoto has shown the power he possesses with 15 home runs and 42 RBI, his strikeout rate of 32.8% — which ranks in the second percentile in Major League Baseball — has proven to be a limitation on his consistency at the plate.
Beyond consistency, they have lacked length in their lineup. The absence of Addison Barger, Daulton Varsho, and Alejandro Kirk himself in the first few months of the season has put pressure on Springer, Guerrero Jr., and Okamoto to carry the offense.
Kirk’s return will quickly address this issue by adding length, depth, and lineup protection. Kirk will most likely be slotted into the fourth spot, providing protection for Springer and Guerrero Jr., who remain as the lineup’s anchors at the top of the order.
Kirk’s low strikeout rate, which ranked in the 95th percentile last season, paired with his hard-hit and barrel-up percentages, both in the 91st percentile last season, according to Statcast, makes him a consistent threat to do damage with runners in scoring position — an area the Jays have struggled in this season.
Kirk is just the start, as Barger and Varsho are set to return this month, providing even more length to the Jays’ offense.
Catching Depth Solidified
Kirk’s early exit in April presented a lot of questions at the catcher position. The biggest question being: Can Tyler Heineman step up in Kirk’s absence? Heineman was unable to fill the void, posting an underwhelming .154 batting average and .410 OPS, which eventually led to his being designated for assignment upon Kirk’s return and later being traded to the Angels.
With Heineman providing no immediate answer to Toronto’s catching concerns, rookie Brandon Valenzuela stepped up. Valenzuela has put up a slash line of .261/.463/.805 with seven home runs since his debut in the big leagues on April 5, only a day after Kirk suffered his injury.
Valenzuela’s success at the plate, paired with Kirk’s offense, now also provides a legitimate pinch-hit option. With Kirk assuming the starting role, and Valenzuela as his backup, the Jays now have an impact bat they can turn to late in the game. In addition, taking into consideration the recent struggles of designated hitter George Springer, they can also filter in either Kirk or Valenzuela at DH.
The Jays now have not only a solidified duo behind the plate but also one of baseball’s premier catching tandems.
Stability for the Rotation
Much like Toronto’s lineup, their rotation has experienced some turbulence across the first few months of the season. Above all else, a strong rotation is a healthy rotation, and that is the one thing they haven’t had. Cody Ponce suffered a torn ACL in his first start of the season. Shane Bieber hasn’t seen the mound at all yet. José Berríos underwent Tommy John surgery in late May. Trey Yesavage’s start to the season was delayed, and most recently, Dylan Cease was out with a brief stint on the 15-day IL with a left hamstring strain.
Kirk’s return behind the plate should help stabilize the pitching staff. With Cease’s recent reinstatement from the IL and the reactivation of Bieber, the Jays should feel more confident in their pitching staff with Kirk behind the plate. Last season, Kirk ranked in the 100th percentile in blocks above average and the 98th percentile in pitch framing while finishing as the runner-up for the American League Gold Glove behind the dish.
Beyond the numbers, Kirk will bring a presence that provides stability and confidence to a rotation that is starting to look as complete as it has been all season.
Kirk’s return is a stabilizing force for a Blue Jays roster that is beginning to take shape as we approach the halfway point of the season.
Main Photo: Kevin Sousa- Imagn Images
