Alejandro Kirk is pushing John Schneider toward a catcher decision the Blue Jays can't dodge much longer.
Kirk is tracking toward a mid-June return from the left thumb fracture that put him on the injured list on April 4, and he was back catching in Dunedin on Friday.
He already gave Toronto a reminder of what is coming, homering in his first rehab game on June 4 after opening that night as the designated hitter.
That is where the squeeze starts. Toronto's active roster already carries Tyler Heineman and Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate alongside a 13-man pitching staff.
Heineman has not given Schneider much of a case for a 3-catcher setup. He is hitting .158 with a .210 OBP and a .421 OPS over 76 at-bats.
Valenzuela has done the opposite. The rookie is hitting .248 with 6 home runs and a .775 OPS, which is real offense from a backup catcher spot.
That gap is why the soft middle ground makes no sense. Carrying all 3 catchers would burn a bench spot on a club that still needs room to mix and match.
John Schneider has to pick, not stall
This is not only about the bat. Heineman is out of options, so Toronto cannot send him to Buffalo without first running him through waivers.
That makes the move awkward, not unclear. Kirk returns as the starter, and Valenzuela has played his way into the backup lane with his offense and steady defense.
The Blue Jays also are not in a place to waste roster space. They entered Saturday at 30-34, still trying to claw their way back after a rough start.
Kirk is not a luxury piece coming back, either. Toronto locked him up on a 5-year, $58,000,000 extension because he is the catcher this roster is supposed to run through.
His activation should solve one problem, not create a new one. The clean read is Kirk starts, Valenzuela backs up, and the Blue Jays stop pretending a 3-catcher bench works.
If Tyler Heineman survives the crunch, it should be because another injury changed the math, not because Schneider ducked the call. Alejandro Kirk is almost back, and Toronto needs the roster spot as much as his bat.
Should the Blue Jays move on from Tyler Heineman when Alejandro Kirk returns?
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