ATLANTA — After a two-month absence, Alejandro Kirk is close to a return. The Toronto Blue Jays catcher, one of the best defenders in baseball and a key cog in the middle of the lineup, will begin a rehab assignment Wednesday after recovering from thumb surgery. But that return will present the Jays with a complex decision.If Kirk’s rehab assignment goes well over the next week, Toronto must choose which backup catcher to keep: Tyler Heineman or Brandon Valenzuela. Manager John Schneider said Kirk needs about 20 at-bats in the minors before he comes back. Then, it’s decision time. It’s a choice between a rookie and a vet, and current performance versus roster depth.If the Jays simply base this on which player is playing better, Valenzuela will remain on the team. In 38 games entering Tuesday, the 25-year-old rookie posted a .710 OPS and ranks second among all catchers in Fielding Run Value (plus-six). Heineman, in 29 games, is tied with Valenzuela in FRV but owns a .380 OPS, which ranks fourth worst among all hitters with at least 50 plate appearances.
Blue Jays 2026 catcher comparison PlayerAt BatsAVGOBPOPSHRFRVTyler Heineman71.141.197.38016Brandon Valenzuela102.235.328.71046
Heineman was a revelation for the Jays last year, posting a .777 OPS and 1.9 bWAR in 61 games as Kirk’s backup. But in giving Valenzuela 102 at-bats to Heineman’s 64 over the last month, the Jays are telling us which backstop they think is better right now. The calculus, though, might be more complex than that.
