Blue Jays Sign New Catcher After Alejandro Kirk Setback Tests Depth

BusinessSportsMoneyBlue Jays Sign New Catcher After Alejandro Kirk Setback Tests DepthByPeter Chawaga,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Peter Chawaga is a writer and editor covering Major League Baseball.Follow AuthorApr 23, 2026, 06:00am EDTTORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 28: Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (30) is seen in the Blue Jays dugout in the fifth inning of an MLB game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays on September 28, 2025, at Rogers Centre in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Mathew Tsang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesThe Toronto Blue Jays endured another surprising delay last week as early season injuries piled up and the team struggled to record wins.On Sunday, the team encountered some mechanical problems with their chartered plane and opted for a long bus ride before taking on the Los Angeles Angels. In an early season marked by setbacks, though, that one might have helped galvanize the group, which went on to rattle off a series win."I felt like I was back in the Northwest League," manager John Schneider said of the travel snafu, according to the Associated Press. "But we made the best of it.”The team evidently turned the obstacle into a bonding activity, as star pitcher Max Scherzer hosted an informal "kangaroo court” trial for Schneider after the travel downgrade. And it seems to have unlocked something for the team’s production, though the injuries are still being felt.ForbesBraves’ Former Slugger Offers 2-Word Response On Altercation With ManagerBy Peter ChawagaToronto Blue Jays Add Catcher Depth After Alejandro Kirk Injury SetbackNo loss has been more impactful than that of catcher Alejandro Kirk, who earned an All-Star nod for his 15-homer season last year but had to undergo surgery on a broken thumb earlier this month.MORE FOR YOUThe team has gone with a combination of Tyler Heineman and Brandon Valenzuela, who they called up from t...