Kirk (fractured left thumb) placed on injured list by Toronto

CHICAGO -- Alejandro Kirk has a fracture in his left thumb, the Blue Jays announced, which also dislocated when he caught a foul tip off the bottom edge of his glove in Friday’s 5-4 loss to the White Sox in Chicago.

Kirk is headed to the IL, but for how long is the question now facing the Blue Jays. Kirk is headed to Pennsylvania on Monday to meet with Dr. Thomas Graham, a hand specialist, to determine whether he’ll need surgery or a pin inserted in his thumb. That will determine whether Kirk needs weeks on the IL or potentially longer.

In Kirk’s place, Toronto’s No. 24 prospect Brandon Valenzuela is up to make his MLB debut, which could come as early as Sunday in Chicago. Tyler Heineman will take over starting duties in the meantime, but there’s no replacing Kirk -- a 2025 All-Star who was one of the players this team could least afford to lose.

“He’s our general back there,” said George Springer. “He commands the game so well and does so much for us, not only behind the plate but offensively. It’s going to be tough, but we’re going to have to step up.”

Kirk’s all-around game has made him one of the best catchers in baseball, a legitimate offensive threat who has also developed into one of the game’s top framers and blockers behind the plate. He’s a pitcher’s best friend, but the Blue Jays will need to get by without Kirk for at least the next few weeks.

“He’s a warrior. It’s pretty damn hard to get him to come out of a baseball game,” said Ernie Clement. “You kind of knew it wasn’t good, so it’s just the next man up. We dealt with it last year, and guys would come in and step up. Guys who are here have to step up. We’ll be ready to roll.”

Heineman is the known commodity here, the longtime backup who has finally found a home in Toronto after years spent bouncing around the league. He enjoyed a late breakout of sorts last year, providing a surprising jolt of offense from the backup spot. Valenzuela, on the other hand, is one of the club’s top catching prospects who caught the eye of the big-league staff earlier this year in Dunedin.

“We’re getting a really talented young guy who did a great job in Spring Training,” manager John Schneider said. “Not just performance-wise, but from learning our process and understanding what the pitchers are going to do, what they want to do and how we prepare. That was a big goal for him in the spring. The performance was great, and he was one of the highlights of camp for me.”

Valenzuela was acquired at the 2025 Trade Deadline from the Padres for Will Wagner, a sharp move from this front office to add a controllable young catcher with legitimate big-league tools. Valenzuela’s throwing arm and defense behind the plate are his standout talents, but he’s started to show more upside with the bat, too. Throughout the Blue Jays’ organization, there’s a belief that Valenzuela can stick in the big leagues long-term, so this will be his first opening to prove that.

Kirk was on the IL late last season for a concussion, but that was only a brief stint. Prior to that, his last IL stint came in 2023, when he missed the minimum of 10 days with a left-hand laceration.