Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen underwent surgery yesterday to address his fractured right middle finger, the team announced (relayed by Scott Mitchell of TSN). He’s out for the rest of the regular season, though the club is leaving open the possibility for a return in the postseason if they qualify.
Jansen broke his finger last week when it was struck by a foul tip. The Jays promptly put him on the injured list, recalling Tyler Heineman from Triple-A to take the active roster spot. Heineman will remain in the #2 capacity while Alejandro Kirk takes the majority of the reps. The right-handed hitting Kirk had started the season slowly but has found his stride in the second half, posting a .296/.379/.463 line since the All-Star Break.
That positions the Jays better than virtually any other team to withstand the loss of a catcher, but it’s still disappointing for player and team alike. Jansen also missed time this year with a groin strain and has gone on the IL in each of the last three seasons. When healthy, the 28-year-old is one of the better catchers in the game. He owns a .228/.312/.474 slash with 17 homers in only 301 plate appearances this year.
In better news for Toronto, they reinstated Bo Bichette from the IL before this evening’s matchup with the Royals. Bichette missed a minimal amount of time with a quad strain. The star shortstop has been the Jays’ best player this year, so getting him back quickly is obviously a huge development for a team that entered play Friday half a game up on the Rangers for the last Wild Card spot in the American League.
Danny Jansen can’t seem to catch a break ( pardon the pun) . He’s our best catcher and he’s done for the year. Kirki is slow on the bases , but can hit well. Unfortunately these injuries are coming at the most inconvenience time . Hopefully he heals fast
This is why I hated the Moreno trade, you don’t trade catching depth because catchers always get hurt and you always need the depth.
No team has 3 good catchers, most teams don’t even have 2. Keep Moreno in AAA as a safety net is a poor allocation of resources
ChangedName: Moreno and Gurriel Jr for Varsho. The Dbacks won that trade.
They should’ve held tight for Carroll
Moreno can play other spots…..he had no need to stay in Triple A
Nobody said he would be in AAA except you.
Jays carried 3 catcher for lengthy periods the last 3 years and could have done just that. Would it have negated the Belt signing? Yes. The smarter move was to lane a backup, right handed CF to spell an injury-prone Kiermaier to face left handed pitching, and DH the catchers plus Bo, Springer, Vlad etc.
Carrying 3 catchers is terrible roster construction
tell that to Earl Weaver ’69, ’70, and ’71
Not when they can all hit and defend, and one DH’es thanks to said bat. Not to mention players who can play outfield AND infield to allow them to carry said 3 catchers.
100 percent. Jansen is a good catcher but Moreno should have been the catcher of the future because Jansen is constantly banged up and the need for carrying 3 catchers was obvious after last season because no way you want Kirk behind the plate every day. Moreno could have played some infield….probably could have easily learned left field as well and Kirk could have DH’d and they could have rotated and kept everyone fresh and been covered for an injury like this. Said it then and saying it now…..horrible trade bringing in Varsho.
10+ HBP in 300 plate appearances. Needs to start wearing elbow and hand protectors like many bators do. Very good catcher with very bad injury problems.
He got hit by a batted foul tip while catching.
He evidently didn’t have his throwing hand behind his back. If he had, he wouldn’t have ended up with a broken finger. Some catchers do it. The others are taking chances.
Mostly fluke injuries. He’s a timely/clutch hitter (check the stats after 7th inning) and his defense is decent. Going to miss him down the strech
He wears a hand guard. He hurt his hand catching.
I remember when the Jays had the mastur of the bators. Ol’ Reese McGuire.
Bad decision by the Jays to trade Moreno. He’s physically fit is the key. Kirk has cost the Jays so many runs having to be held up at 3rd that I no longer count because it’s embarrassing, not to mention all the double plays he has hit into where he’s not even half way to first base because he waddles out of the batters box. Players were benched for half assed efforts like that when I played college baseball. There was zero tolerance for lazy players period. Okay knows how to play the game. Speed and hustle make the other teams commit mistakes. It’s a proven fact.
Kirk needs to drop 25-30, minimum.
Why? He’s so so short and fat that he’s already in a squat before he squats. Saves the knees.
Pound droppage is to save the knees.
Absolutely zero excuse for MLB players to be overweight! None! They have access to trainers, dieticians and state of the art equipment!! Blue Jays staff are just as much to blame as they allow him to be that heavy!!!
“Okay knows” ?!? Kevin K is what I typed and meant. Stupid auto correct! Lol