The Toronto Blue Jays started off April with four losses on the road against the Chicago White Sox.
Now, the Blue Jays are set to be without starting catcher Alejandro Kirk for the foreseeable future. Kirk suffered an injury in Friday’s 5-4 loss to the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Ill. On Monday, Blue Jays manager John Schneider revealed that Kirk will undergo thumb surgery on Tuesday and his return is up in the air.
Alejandro Kirk having surgery on his left thumb tomorrow per mgr John Schneider
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) April 6, 2026
Kirk was signed by the Blue Jays in 2016 at the age of 18, and he has become a key part of their everyday lineup.
Kirk played in 130 games last season as the primary catcher, and he hit .282 with 15 home runs and 76 RBIs in a career-best campaign. Before the 2025 season began, the Blue Jays gave Kirk a well-deserved five-year, $58 million extension as well.
Tyler Heineman replaced Kirk on Friday and got the start on Saturday, but Brandon Valenzuela started on Sunday at catcher, so it will be interesting to see what Schneider does with Kirk on the shelf.
The Blue Jays also saw starting pitcher Cody Ponce suffer an injury, so it hasn’t been a promising start to the year after the World Series run in 2025.