Blue Jays Make Alejandro Kirk Decision Ahead of Rockies Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Xavier Constantino | Last updated Mar 30, 2026 7:49 PM ET

After catching each of the Blue Jays’ first two games of the season, Alejandro Kirk is back in the lineup Monday as Toronto opens a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies.

Kirk had a day off on Sunday, with Tyler Heineman stepping in behind the plate to give the Blue Jays' star catcher some rest. It was a sensible move by manager John Schneider, who started the season leaning heavily on his backstop. With a long year ahead, managing Kirk's workload figures to be a priority for the Blue Jays, who are preparing for postseason success.

Through the first two games, the 27-year-old went 1-for-9 with a ninth-inning, game-tying solo home run, a walk and an additional run scored. It was a decent start for Kirk, showing the kind of power that makes him one of the more dangerous catchers in the American League.

Ponce makes his Blue Jays debut!

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— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) March 30, 2026

The workload as a catcher, however, made the rest day a smart move by Schneider. Catching back-to-back games is no easy feat, and keeping Kirk fresh over the 162 games this season is far more important than squeezing out one extra start in late March.

Heineman took over for Kirk as a capable backup option whenever Toronto needs to give him a break, going 1-for-2 at the plate with a single and two runs in Sunday’s series finale victory over the Athletics.

The decision to give Kirk a day off speaks to just how important he has become to this organization. His best offensive season came in 2022, when he hit .285/.372/.415 with 134 hits and 14 home runs, earning his first All-Star selection. While his numbers have dipped since that peak, Kirk remains a top force behind the dish, ranking second in the MLB amongst all catchers in fielding run values in 2025 according to MLB Savant, with 22. He earned his second All-Star nod last season on the strength of that defensive excellence and remains a top catcher in the league.

Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (30)© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Now in 2026, Kirk and the Blue Jays are looking to go one step further after falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in last year’s World Series. Keeping their catcher healthy and successful starts with smart roster management by Schneider.

After some rest, Kirk looks to build on that late-game home run against the Athletics in Monday’s matchup against Colorado and remind the league why he is one of the faces of the Toronto Blue Jays franchise.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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