The Toronto Blue Jays have sidelined catcher Alejandro Kirk for at least 10 days after he suffered a fractured left thumb, the team announced Saturday. To fill the roster spot, the organization has promoted catcher Brandon Valenzuela from their Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo.
Kirk sustained the injury when a foul ball struck his glove during Friday night’s matchup with the Chicago White Sox, forcing him to leave the game early. Through the first five contests of the season, the veteran backstop was struggling at the plate, managing just three hits in 20 at-bats for a .150 average, though he did contribute one home run and two RBIs.
The 27-year-old has spent his entire seven-year major league career with Toronto, compiling a .267 batting average along with 52 home runs and 265 RBIs across 569 games. Kirk earned All-Star recognition in both 2022 and 2025 for his contributions behind the plate.
For Valenzuela, this marks his debut in the major leagues at age 25. The Blue Jays acquired him through a trade with the San Diego Padres during the previous season.
During spring training, Valenzuela impressed with a .304 batting average, recording one home run and five RBIs in 11 appearances. In his brief stint with Buffalo this season, he collected three hits in 15 at-bats while adding one homer and four RBIs over four games.
