Toronto Blue Jays All-Star catcher Alejandro Kirk will undergo surgery to repair a fractured thumb on his left (catching) hand, the team announced on Monday.
Kirk suffered the injury on a foul tip in Toronto’s loss to the Chicago White Sox on Friday. He was placed on the 10-day injured list before visiting with a hand specialist on Monday, who determined the catcher would need surgery.
Manager John Schneider didn’t have a definitive timeline for Kirk’s return, saying “it could be three to four [weeks], it could be four to six,” according to the Toronto Sun. He added that the team will know more after the surgery.
Kirk, 27, served as the Blue Jays’ catcher as they made their run all the way to a Game 7 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. Last season, he hit .282 with 15 homers and earned his second All-Star appearance.
The Blue Jays will rely on backup catcher Tyler Heineman as well as rookie Brandon Valenzuela in Kirk’s absence. Both players are switch-hitters.
“The biggest thing is I’ve told [both catchers] that you are not Alejandro Kirk,” Schneider said, according to the Sun. “You are your own people and you have to do what you’re good at. It’s tough [replacing Kirk] for sure, but we have to have guys step up.”
