Toronto Blue Jays reach agreement on new deal with catcher Tyler Heineman
Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Tyler Heineman and Toronto Blue Jays have reached an agreement avoiding arbitration with a new contract for the 2026 season.
Wednesday brought a report that Toronto avoided arbitration with Heineman, which is small news that can still matter in January.
The bigger picture is the calendar, because once you tender a player you either settle or you risk a hearing.
The Blue Jays already tendered all four of their unsigned arbitration-eligible players, and clubs can negotiate deals up to Friday before arbitration filings lock in.
Heineman is the kind of depth guy you notice most when he is missing, because catching is more than a batting line.
The Blue Jays and Heineman agreed to a deal worth $1.2375 million for 2026.
Blue Jays have avoided arbitration with Tyler Heineman per industry source
He'll earn $1,237,500 in 2026
He'll earn $1,237,500 in 2026
Toronto Blue Jays avoid arbitration with Tyler Heineman
Heineman is 34, a switch hitter, and he is a former eighth-round pick out of UCLA, which is basically the definition of a baseball grinder career.
On the field, he quietly gave Toronto real innings in 2025, hitting .289 with three homers, 20 RBIs, and a .777 OPS across 64 games.
That slash line does not make him the starter, but it does make him an actual option when Alejandro Kirk needs a breather.
The good news is that the Blue Jays have one less player to now deal with when it comes to the arbitration deadline today.
The Blue Jays ended up closing just over Heineman's projection for 2026 as he was expected to sign for $1 million but this was still a solid deal.
Either way, the next milestone is simple, see how many of these Friday numbers Toronto can nail down without letting a hearing become the headline.
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