Once again interrupting his hot start, Danny Jansen will return to the injured list.
For the second time this season, the Blue Jays' catcher will hit the shelf with an ailment and is expected to be placed on the injured list ahead of Tuesday's game with a bone fracture in his pinky finger, per MLB.com's Keegan Matheson.
Jansen was hit by a pitch in the eighth inning of Monday's game in Kansas City but stayed in the contest. The team sent Jansen for X-rays after the game as a precaution, and Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins told the media on Tuesday the scans revealed a fracture in the fifth metacarpal in his left hand. Atkins said the injury was a "stable" break, per Matheson, indicating the recovery would be shorter than some fracture recoveries.
Jansen missed time on the IL earlier in 2022 with an oblique injury but has been one of the most productive catchers in baseball when healthy this year. In 19 games, the 27-year-old has seven homers, a .915 OPS, and 13 RBI.
Rejoining the team in Kansas City in place of Jansen is Zack Collins, who played 20 games with Toronto earlier this year. The lefty-hitting catcher primarily caught Kevin Gausman during his initial stint with the Jays, acting as a designated hitter and first base option against right-handed pitching, as well. Alejandro Kirk will retain the primary catching duties during Jansen's absence.
H/T Keegan Matheson
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