Date | News | Comment |
Jun 29 2025 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a breather for Sunday's matinee after he started behind the dish in the first two games of the series in Boston. Tyler Heineman will step in for Kirk at catcher. |
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Jun 28 2025 | Kirk went 2-for-4 with two walks, a double, a run scored and an RBI in Friday's 9-0 win over Boston. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 26-year-old backstop has been on fire for most of June. Through 21 games on the month, Kirk is slashing .354/.398/.561 with five doubles, four homers, 11 runs and a whopping 17 RBI. |
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Jun 26 2025 | Kirk is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest in Cleveland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk started at catcher in each of the previous four games, so he's earned a day off for Thursday's matinee. Tyler Heineman will be behind the dish and bat eighth for the Blue Jays. |
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Jun 19 2025 | Kirk went 3-for-4 with two solo home runs and an RBI single in Thursday's 9-5 loss to the Diamondbacks. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk entered Thursday's game having gone 0-for-16 over his last four starts. He was much better at the plate, belting solo home runs in the second and seventh innings before driving in another run in the eighth. Kirk is up to seven home runs on the year, which surpasses his total from 2024 (five), and his .313 batting average is second best in the majors among qualified catchers behind Will Smith (.333). |
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Jun 13 2025 | Kirk went 2-for-4 with two singles during Friday's 8-0 loss to Philadelphia. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Blue Jays were limited to five hits in Friday's blowout, but Kirk managed to reach base twice on singles in the first and fourth frames. The 26-year-old catcher has four straight multi-hit games and has reached base safely in 12 consecutive contests. Over that span, Kirk has a 1.173 OPS with eight runs scored, four doubles, two home runs and 12 RBI across 54 plate appearances. |
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Jun 11 2025 | Kirk went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run and two additional runs scored in Tuesday's win over the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 26-year-old backstop is enjoying his trip to St. Louis, homering in back-to-back contests to begin the series as part of a seven-hit barrage. Kirk has hit safely in six straight games and nine of his last 10, slashing a blistering .475/.511/.725 over the latter stretch with eight runs scored and 12 RBI. |
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Jun 10 2025 | Kirk went 4-for-5 with a home run, two doubles and two total RBI in Monday's 5-4, extra-inning win against St. Louis. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk's nine total bases were a season high, and he tied a campaign-best mark with four hits. Among the knocks was an eighth-inning solo homer and a 10th-inning double that plated the winning run. Kirk is slashing a cool .316/.361/.421 on the campaign, and those marks have been buoyed by a hot nine-game stretch during which the backstop is batting .457 (16-for-35) with five extra-base hits, 10 RBI and just three strikeouts. |
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Jun 7 2025 | Kirk is not in the Blue Jays' starting lineup against the Twins on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a breather while Tyler Heineman starts behind home plate and bats ninth. Kirk has been hot at the plate and has gone 16-for-40 (.400) with eight RBI over his last 13 games. |
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May 31 2025 | Kirk isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Athletics. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a chance to catch his breath Saturday after going 4-for-7 with three RBI, two runs scored and three walks through the first two games of the series. Ali Sanchez will replace him behind the dish and bat ninth. |
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May 28 2025 | Kirk isn't in the lineup for Wednesday's game against Texas. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a chance to rest during Wednesday's series finale after going 2-for-6 with an RBI through the first two games. Ali Sanchez will catch for starter Paxton Schultz instead and bat eighth. |
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May 25 2025 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a breather for the matinee contest after he had started behind the dish the last two days. After being called up from Triple-A Buffalo to replace Tyler Heineman (concussion), Ali Sanchez will get the nod at catcher Sunday. |
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May 22 2025 | Kirk is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game against the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk started the previous three contests behind the plate, so he'll get a breather for Thursday's matinee. Tyler Heineman will catch and bat ninth for the Blue Jays. |
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May 17 2025 | Kirk isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Detroit. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a day to reset after going 0-for-8 with a strikeout over his last two games. Tyler Heineman will catch for Eric Lauer instead and bat eighth. |
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May 14 2025 | Kirk went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer in Wednesday's 3-1 win over the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk was removed from Sunday's win over the Mariners after being hit in the head on a Julio Rodriguez backswing, but the former passed the league's concussion protocols and was cleared to return Wednesday. Kirk's return turned out to be the difference as he supplied the Jays' run total with a three-run blast in the sixth inning. It was his third home run of the season, and the 26-year-old catcher is slashing .293/.318/.398 with 16 RBI in 129 plate appearances. |
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May 13 2025 | Kirk (head) is not in the Blue Jays' starting lineup against the Rays on Tuesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk was removed from Sunday's game against the Mariners after suffering a blow to the helmet on a Julio Rodriguez backswing. Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters that Kirk "passed every concussion test" and will likely be available off the bench for Tuesday's contest, per Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. With Kirk on the bench, Tyler Heineman will start behind home plate and bat eighth. |
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May 11 2025 | Kirk (head) exited Sunday's contest against the Mariners in the top of the fifth inning, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk suffered a blow to the helmet on a backswing from Julio Rodriguez in bottom of the third inning. The catcher remained in the contest for another full inning before exiting, likely due to precautionary reasons. Tyler Heineman replaced him behind the plate versus Seattle. |
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May 10 2025 | Kirk went 4-for-5 in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirak is swinging a hot bat, going 18-for-46 (.391) over his last 11 games. The catcher had four singles Saturday and has just two extra-base hits over that hot stretch, but he's also logged seven RBI in that span. His big game lifted his batting average from .259 to .282, and he's added a .668 OPS, two home runs, 13 RBI, five runs scored, three doubles and no stolen bases over 30 contests this season. |
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May 9 2025 | Kirk isn't in the lineup for Friday's game against the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: An 0-for-4 performance against the Angels on Thursday put an end to Kirk's six-game hitting streak, and he'll now get a chance to rest Friday while Tyler Heineman catches for Kevin Gausman. |
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May 3 2025 | Kirk isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Cleveland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a day off Saturday after going 6-for-13 with a homer and four RBI across his last three games. Tyler Heineman will do the catching for Kevin Gausman instead while batting eighth. |
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May 2 2025 | Kirk went 3-for-4 with a two-run single in Friday's 5-3 win over Cleveland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk put the Jays on the board in the third inning on a single to left field that brought Vladimir Guerrero and Anthony Santander home. It was Kirk's ninth multi-hit game of the season, four of which have come over his last six games. Over that span, the 26-year-old backstop has gone 10-for-24 with one home run and six RBI. |
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Apr 30 2025 | Kirk went 2-for-5 with a solo home run, a walk and an additional RBI in Wednesday's extra-inning win over Boston. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk snapped a 10-game homerless drought Wednesday, also recording multiple hits for the third time in his last four outings. Despite batting just .233 with two long balls, two doubles and eight RBI over 73 at-bats in April, Kirk has remained Toronto's primary backstop. It's worth noting that backup catcher Tyler Heineman is hitting .448 with four extra-base hits and five RBI across his 29 at-bats this year, so Kirk appears to have some legitimate competition on the depth chart. |
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Apr 14 2025 | Kirk is not in the lineup for Monday's contest versus Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk had started each of the previous two games but will being Monday's series opener on the bench. Tyler Heineman will do the catching and bat ninth for Toronto. |
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Apr 13 2025 | Kirk went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and two RBI in Sunday's 7-6 extra-innings win over the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk put the Blue Jays on the board with a solo homer in the second inning and tacked on an RBI double in the eighth. While the long ball was his first of the season, the 26-year-old has now logged five multi-hit efforts in 12 games. On the year, he's hitting .261 with a home run, four RBI and four runs scored across 49 plate appearances. |
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Apr 10 2025 | Kirk is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game in Boston. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk caught all 11 innings of Wednesday's extra-innings victory, so he'll get a breather during Thursday's matinee. Tyler Heineman is behind the plate and batting eighth for Toronto. |
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Apr 9 2025 | Kirk (leg) will start at catcher and bat sixth in Wednesday's game versus the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk didn't play Tuesday after fouling a pitch off his lower leg in Monday's game, although Blue Jays manager John Schneider indicated it was more of a scheduled day off. The 26-year-old Kirk will bring two straight multi-hit games into Wednesday's festivities. |
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Apr 8 2025 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Red Sox after fouling a pitch off his lower leg Monday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Manager John Schneider said it was already a planned day off for Kirk, but it's still worth keeping an eye on the catcher's status heading into Wednesday's contest. Tyler Heineman is starting behind the plate and batting eighth Tuesday. |
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Apr 2 2025 | Kirk is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk caught Tuesday's night game, so he'll receive a breather for Wednesday's afternoon tilt. Tyler Heineman will do the catching for the series finale. |
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Mar 30 2025 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will receive a breather Sunday as the Blue Jays and Orioles wrap up their season-opening series with an afternoon game. Tyler Heineman will step in behind the plate in place of Kirk, who started at catcher in each of the first three games versus Baltimore while going 2-for-11 with an RBI and a run. |
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Mar 22 2025 | Kirk signed a five-year, $58 million contract with the Blue Jays on Saturday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The deal will buy out Kirk's final year of arbitration in 2026 and then keep him with the team for an additional four years. Kirk has maintained a 109 wRC+ and improved his defense consistently over the course of his big-league career. He is set to be the Blue Jays' primary catcher in 2025. |
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Mar 6 2025 | Kirk went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The backstop supplied the Blue Jays with their only run off Mitch Keller through the first four innings, lofting a hanging curve to straightaway center field. It was Kirk's first homer of the spring, but he's been making strong contact so far, going 5-for-15 (.333) through seven appearances. His line-drive swing probably won't ever provide consistent power numbers, but Toronto would be happy if Kirk can supply something close to the .285 batting average and .372 OBP he produced in 2022 over 541 regular-season plate appearances. |
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Feb 16 2025 | Kirk will be counted on to catch more games than ever before in 2025 now that Danny Jansen is no longer a Blue Jay, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The duo split duties behind the plate each of the past three seasons, and while Kirk set a career high with 541 plate appearances in 2022, much of that playing time came at DH. The 26-year-old has never played more than 99 games at catcher in a season, but he's expected to handle about 120 starts at the position this year. Tyler Heineman and Christian Bethancourt are competing for the backup job in spring training, and neither is suited for Jansen's old tandem role. Kirk's swing mechanics were out of sync early in 2024, but from Aug. 1 on he slashed a respectable .269/.335/.404 with 28 RBI in 44 games, production Toronto would be content with given Kirk's strong pitch framing and defensive skills. |
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Jan 9 2025 | Kirk agreed to a one-year, $4.6 million contract with the Blue Jays on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a $1.8 million raise ahead of the 2025 campaign, which will be his sixth with Toronto. The catcher produced a .253 average with five home runs, 54 RBI and 23 runs scored over 103 games in 2024. Kirk will likely operate as the team's primary catcher again in 2025 with Tyler Heineman likely set to serve as his primary backup. |
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Sep 22 2024 | Kirk is not in the lineup for Sunday's game in Tampa Bay. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk caught the first two games of the series but will get a breather for Sunday's finale. Tyler Heineman is behind the plate as the Blue Jays try to avoid a sweep. |
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Sep 19 2024 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rangers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will take a seat for the day game after a night game, opening up room in the lineup for No. 2 catcher Tyler Heineman. Through 12 games in September, Kirk has hit .283 with eight RBI and two runs. |
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Sep 11 2024 | Kirk is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest against the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk started at catcher in both of the first two games of the series but will begin Wednesday's finale on the bench. Brian Serven will be behind the dish and batting ninth for the Blue Jays. |
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Sep 1 2024 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk started the first two games of the series and will sit for the finale after going 2-for-8 with a walk, a double and a run scored. Brian Serven will step in behind the plate to catch for righty Yariel Rodriguez. |
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Aug 29 2024 | Kirk is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest in Boston. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk started each of the first three games of the series, so he'll get a breather for Thursday's finale. Brian Serven will do the catching for Blue Jays starter Bowden Francis. |
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Aug 25 2024 | Kirk went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and a bases-loaded walk in Sunday's 8-2 win over the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk's walk forced in the opening run in the third inning, and he tacked on two more when he went deep off Matt Moore in the seventh. The homer was Kirk's second in five games and his fifth long ball of the year. The catcher is up to a .248/.322/.358 slash line with 41 RBI, 18 runs scored, 12 doubles and no stolen bases through 78 contests this season. |
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Aug 24 2024 | Kirk isn't in the Blue Jays' lineup for Saturday's game against the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a breather after recording four hits and three RBI through the first two games of the series. Brian Serven will start behind the plate instead and bat ninth. |
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Aug 21 2024 | Kirk is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's contest versus the Reds. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk had started each of the previous six games (five at catcher, one at designated hitter), so he'll be given a day off for Wednesday's series finale. Brian Serven will start at catcher and bat ninth for the Blue Jays. |
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Aug 13 2024 | Kirk isn't in the Blue Jays' lineup for Tuesday's game against the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a day to rest Tuesday after going 1-for-4 with two strikeouts during Monday's win in the series opener. Brian Serven will fill in behind the plate and bat ninth. |
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Aug 10 2024 | Kirk isn't in the Blue Jays' lineup for Saturday's game against the Athletics. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk had his five-game hitting streak snapped with an 0-for-4 performance Friday, and he'll now get a chance to rest Saturday while Brian Serven catches for Yariel Rodriguez. |
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Aug 9 2024 | Kirk went 1-for-2 with two walks and an RBI in Thursday's win over the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 25-year-old continues to thrive since becoming the Blue Jays' No. 1 catcher. Kirk has reached base safely in nine straight appearances, batting .452 (14-for-31) during that stretch with two doubles, a homer, four runs and nine RBI. The hot streak has boosted his slash line on the season to .254/.321/.348. |
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Aug 6 2024 | Kirk went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk singled in the fourth inning and then gave the Blue Jays the lead with a three-run homer in the sixth. The long ball was his first since June 10, but he has hit safely in six of his past seven games with three multi-hit efforts. On the year, the 25-year-old is hitting .245 with three home runs and 32 RBI across 226 plate appearances. |
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Aug 3 2024 | Kirk (elbow) will start at catcher and bat fourth Saturday against the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk had to sit out Toronto's last two games after taking a pitch off his left elbow Tuesday, but he seems to be feeling well enough to start behind the dish Saturday. The 25-year-old backstop has gone 7-for-22 with two RBI and two runs scored in six games since the All-Star break. |
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Aug 2 2024 | Kirk (elbow) is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's the second straight game out of the lineup for Kirk after being hit by a pitch in the left elbow Tuesday against the Orioles. Brian Serven will receive another look behind the plate in the series opener in the Bronx. |
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Jul 31 2024 | Kirk (elbow) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk is likely still aching after taking a pitch off his left elbow in Tuesday's 6-2 loss, but with a day out of the lineup Wednesday coupled with a team off day Thursday, the Blue Jays seem hopeful that the backstop will be ready to go for Friday's series opener versus the Yankees. Brian Serven will handle the catching duties in the series finale in Baltimore. |
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Jul 30 2024 | Kirk was removed from Tuesday's game versus Baltimore due to a left elbow contusion. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk took a 98-mph sinker off his left elbow during the sixth inning of Tuesday's contest and was replaced behind the dish by Brian Serven during the bottom half of the frame. Although Kirk managed to escape with just a bruise, it's still unclear if he'll be able to start Wednesday's series finale. Should he need to miss any amount of time, the Jays would presumably call up another catcher from the minors. |
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Jul 29 2024 | Kirk is out of the lineup for the second game of Monday's doubleheader with the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will take a seat for the second game of the twin bill after he went 3-for-4 with a trio of base hits in the Blue Jays' 11-5 loss in the first contest of the day. Though Brian Serven will get the nod behind the dish for the nightcap, Kirk looks like the Blue Jays' clear No. 1 catcher moving forward following the recent trade of Danny Jansen to the Red Sox. |
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Jul 14 2024 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk hasn't overtaken Danny Jansen as the Blue Jays' clear No. 1 backstop, but he started in both of the previous two contests and has turned the catcher position into more of a timeshare lately. The Blue Jays have been more willing to make room in the lineup for Kirk recently due to his hot bat; he's recorded at least one hit in each of his last six games and is slashing .476/.462/.571 overall during that stretch. |
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Jul 6 2024 | Kirk went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI in Saturday's 5-4 win against Seattle. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk was a big part of the Blue Jays' offense in the victory, plating the team's first run with a double in the fourth inning and adding a sacrifice fly in the seventh. The backstop finished with his third three-hit effort of the campaign. The performance moved Kirk's batting average back over the Mendoza line to .214. |
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Jul 1 2024 | Kirk will start at catcher and bat eighth in Monday's game against the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk should be in store for at least two starts in the four-game series with the Astros while top backstop Danny Jansen likely misses the maximum three games after being placed on the paternity list Monday. Even though Jansen remains atop the depth chart, Kirk had been making a case for more playing time by going 4-for-12 with two doubles, two RBI and a run over his last three starts. |
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Jun 11 2024 | Kirk went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Monday's loss to the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The backstop took Colin Rea deep in the third inning, ending a power drought for Kirk that stretched back to April 28. While his .612 OPS and two homers on the season are a disappointment, the 25-year-old may be coming around at the plate -- over his last 10 games, Kirk's batting .308 (8-for-26). |
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May 20 2024 | Kirk went 1-for-1 with two walks, a double and two RBI in Sunday's win over the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 25-year-old has seen his playing time crater in May as the red-hot Danny Jansen has seized control of the starting job behind the plate for the Blue Jays, but Kirk's own offensive struggles haven't helped. Sunday's performance was his first multi-RBI game since Opening Day, and through five games in May he's batting just .214 (3-for-14). |
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Apr 28 2024 | Kirk went 3-for-3 with a solo home run during Sunday's 3-1 win over the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk notched his first homer of the campaign, tagging Dodgers opener Michael Grove for a long ball in the second frame. The outburst was much needed for the slumping Kirk, who entered the contest 5-for-35 (.143) in his last 12 appearances and hitless during his last four games. |
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Apr 16 2024 | Kirk is expected to move to the bench for Tuesday's game against the Yankees and will likely lose out on starts to Danny Jansen (wrist), who was reinstated from the injured list Monday, ESPN.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Between wins over the Rockies on Sunday and Yankees on Monday, Kirk reached base seven times, but he's still put together an underwhelming .200/.293/.220 slash line through 58 plate appearances while operating as the Blue Jays' primary backstop so far this season. Though Jansen remained on the bench Monday, he's on track to make his season debut Tuesday and looks poised to handle the larger portion of a timeshare behind the plate with Kirk. Jansen is the more polished defender of the two, and though Kirk has an All-Star appearance and Silver Slugger on his resume, he's been a slightly below league-average hitter since the start of the 2023 season (91 wRC+, .301 wOBA over 480 plate appearances). |
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Apr 15 2024 | Kirk went 2-for-2 with two walks in Sunday's win over the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The big performance at the plate didn't produce any runs, but Kirk continues to show a penchant for reaching base. The 25-year-old has a .355 OBP over his last last eight games, but all six of his hits during that stretch have been singles and he's managed to score zero runs. With Danny Jansen (wrist) about to rejoin the 26-man roster, Kirk's stint as Toronto's starting backstop will end, but a smaller workload might allow him to refocus at the plate as he searches for his first extra-base hit of 2024. |
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Apr 13 2024 | Kirk is not in Saturday's lineup against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk is tied for seventh among catchers with 50 plate appearances, but he is hitting just .133, due in large part to a .162 BABIP. Brian Serven is starting behind the dish in this one, and meanwhile, Danny Jansen (wrist) has two rehab games under his belt with Triple-A Buffalo. |
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Mar 30 2024 | Kirk is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against Tampa Bay. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk started at catcher for the first two games of the season, but he will head to the bench Saturday while Brian Serven gets the start. Kirk has begun the season going 1-for-6 with three RBI and one walk, and he will be the top catcher for the Blue Jays due to Danny Jansen (wrist) starting 2024 on the 10-day IL. |
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Mar 29 2024 | Kirk went 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBI in Thursday's 8-2 win over the Rays on Opening Day. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 25-year-old got his campaign off to a quick start with a two-run single in the sixth inning that brought home Bo Bichette and Justin Turner. With Danny Jansen (wrist) on the shelf for at least a couple more weeks, Kirk will be the Blue Jays' starting backstop to begin the season, and after a disappointing 2023 in which he managed only eight homers, 43 RBI and a .692 OPS, he'll attempt to regain his form from 2022 when he slashed .285/.372/.415 with 14 home runs and 63 RBI. |
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Mar 15 2024 | Kirk will be the Blue Jays' regular catcher while Danny Jansen (wrist) is sidelined, Jayson Stark of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Jansen has been diagnosed with a small fracture in the pisiform bone of his right wrist. The Jays are hoping he will miss just a couple weeks and can return early in the regular season, but that seems like a best-case scenario for a guy who's dealt with plenty of injuries. It creates an opportunity for Kirk to be the everyday catcher for a while, giving him an early-season playing time boost. Brian Serven or Payton Henry will serve as Kirk's backup while Jansen is out. |
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Mar 11 2024 | Kirk went 2-for-3 with a double, a two-run home run and a second run scored in a split-squad game against the Orioles on Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Both extra-base hits came off journeyman right-hander Albert Suarez. Kirk is 5-for-20 to begin his spring with three homers, as the 25-year-old looks to shake off a disappointing 2023 campaign and return to the form that saw him slash .285/.372/.415 with a career-high 14 homers the season before. |
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Mar 4 2024 | Kirk went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 25-year-old catcher took Brandon Walter deep in the sixth inning for his second homer of the spring in four games. Kirk is coming off a somewhat disappointing 2023 that saw him slash .250/.334/.358 over 422 plate appearances, but the Blue Jays are hoping he can rebound to something closer to his 2022 performance, when he posted a .787 OPS with 14 homers. Kirk should split time behind the plate with Danny Jansen (illness) this season while also mixing in at DH behind Justin Turner. |
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Jan 11 2024 | Kirk agreed to a one-year, $2.8 million deal with the Blue Jays on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Jays came to terms with both of their catchers Thursday, with the more senior Danny Jansen getting $5.2 million. Kirk will look to rebound after hitting .250 with eight home runs in 123 games last season, albeit with strong defense behind the plate. |
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Oct 1 2023 | Kirk is not in Sunday's lineup against the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This was essentially a certainty after Toronto clinched a spot in the postseason, as Kirk started 10 of the prior 11 games and could really use a breather. He hit .231 with two home runs, nine runs and 10 RBI in 27 September games. |
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Sep 30 2023 | Kirk went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and two additional RBI in Friday's 11-4 win over the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk got the scoring started in the bottom of the second inning with his eighth long ball of the season and added a single an inning later to give him his second two-hit game in as many contests. With Danny Jansen (finger) landing on the injured list Sept. 2 and still without a clear timeline for a return, Kirk has been locked in as the Blue Jays' No. 1 catcher for most of the month. He's posted a .732 OPS to go with 10 RBI and eight runs over 26 games in September. |
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Sep 23 2023 | Kirk will hit the bench Saturday against the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk augmented his time behind the plate last season with 49 starts at designated hitter, but his bat has dropped off this season to the point that he's been mostly stuck splitting time with Danny Jansen at catcher. He's been back in an expanded role in September with Jansen out with a broken finger, starting eight of the previous nine games, but it will be Tyler Heineman who starts Saturday. |
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Sep 17 2023 | Kirk is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Tyler Heineman will catch and bat ninth as Kirk grabs some rest after making four straight starts behind the plate. He went 1-for-4 with a walk in the Blue Jays' win over Boston on Saturday. |
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Sep 12 2023 | Kirk is not in Tuesday's lineup against the Rangers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk is hitting .250 with three doubles, five runs and four RBI in 10 games this month. Tyler Heineman is starting behind the plate, batting ninth. |
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Sep 6 2023 | Kirk is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's tilt in Oakland, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's a day game after a night game, so Kirk will get a breather. Tyler Heineman is doing the catching for Hyun Jin Ryu. |
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Sep 3 2023 | Kirk isn't in the Blue Jays' lineup Sunday against the Rockies, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a day off after extending his hitting streak to five games Saturday. Tyler Heineman will get the nod behind the plate and bat ninth Sunday. |
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Aug 30 2023 | Kirk went 3-for-3 with two doubles, three RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday's win over the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk opened the scoring in the first inning with a two-out, two-run double before adding a third RBI with a sacrifice fly in the seventh. The 24-year-old Kirk has gone 6-for-11 with four doubles in his last three games following a 4-for-31 (.129) stretch in his previous 10 contests. While Danny Jansen had been getting the majority of starts behind the plate recently, Kirk could regain some playing time with his hot bat. He's now batting .255 with six homers, 33 RBI, 25 runs scored and a .686 OPS across 331 plate appearances this season. |
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Aug 27 2023 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Blue Jays' timeshare at catcher has been favoring Danny Jansen of late. Jansen will pick up his fifth start in seven games, while Kirk has received the other two starts at catcher during that stretch. Kirk's lack of usage comes while he's maintained a lowly .513 OPS through 15 games in August. |
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Aug 26 2023 | Kirk will sit Saturday against the Guardians. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk finds himself on the bench for the second time in three games, with Danny Jansen starting behind the plate. Kirk's disappointing .247/.328/.338 slash line means he hasn't had the opportunity to pad his playing time with starts at designated hitter in recent weeks. He last started at that position back on Aug. 4. |
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Aug 24 2023 | Kirk isn't in the Blue Jays' lineup Thursday against the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk is just 2-for-18 across his last five games, so the Jays will give him a day off to regroup Thursday. Danny Jansen will take over behind the plate and bat eighth. |
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Aug 20 2023 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk is on the bench for the series finale, but he appears to have overtaken Danny Jansen as the Blue Jays' top option behind the dish. The 24-year-old started at catcher in six of Toronto's last seven games, going 3-for-24 with an RBI during that stretch. |
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Aug 7 2023 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Guardians. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will hit the bench for the series opener after he had started in each of the last four games, with the most recent two coming at catcher while Danny Jansen (wrist) dealt with an injury. Jansen is back behind the plate Monday, but Kirk has made the case to remain part of a timeshare on the days he's not being used as a designated hitter. Though Kirk has been disappointing on the whole in 2023, he's in the midst of one of his best offensive stretches of the season. Dating back to July 20, Kirk has slashed .395/.500/.651 with three home runs and 8:4 BB:K in 13 games. |
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Jul 30 2023 | Kirk went 3-for-4 with two homers, three RBI and three runs scored in Saturday's win over the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk led off the bottom of the fifth with a single before coming around to score the first run of the contest on a Santiago Espinal home run in his next at-bat. The catcher would then tack onto Toronto's lead with a leadoff home run in the seventh followed by a two-run shot in the eighth. It marked Kirk's first multi-homer game of the season, and he's now batting .292 in July with three long balls and seven RBI. |
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Jul 23 2023 | Kirk went 4-for-5 in Saturday's 9-8 loss to the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: All four hits were singles, and none of them led directly to runs, but it's still another sign Kirk is beginning to turn his season around. The 24-year-old backstop has seven hits in his last two starts, and since the All-Star break he's batting .471 (8-for-17) to push his slash line on the season up to .252/.331/.330. |
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Jul 21 2023 | Kirk went 3-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and one run scored in Thursday's win over the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk singled in each of his first two trips to the plate and walked in third at-bat, but was left stranded each time. He then added a two-run home in the bottom of the eighth to put the Blue Jays up 4-0, his first long ball since June 5 against the Astros. The catcher is still hitting just .172 for the month after the three-hit performance while it was also his first time drawing a walk in his last 23 games. |
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Jul 19 2023 | Kirk is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest versus the Padres, Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has sat out two straight and has caught just one of the last five games as he struggles through an extended slump at the plate. Danny Jansen will catch for Jose Berrios. |
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Jul 18 2023 | Kirk is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Padres, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It will be Danny Jansen catching Alek Manoah. Kirk is in the midst of a 3-for-39 slump at the plate which has his OPS on the year down to .610. |
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Jul 6 2023 | Kirk is not in the lineup for the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against the White Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk served as the catcher in the first game of the doubleheader, so it's no surprise that he'll get some rest. He's been in the lineup for five of seven games since being activated from the injured list June 29, though he's gone just 2-for-16 with no extra-base hits. |
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Jun 29 2023 | Toronto activated Kirk (hand) from the 10-day injured list Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It was a minimum stay on the IL as Kirk recovered from a laceration and bruise on his left hand. Maybe the time off can function as a reset of sorts for the 24-year-old catcher and designated hitter, who has posted an underwhelming .253/.337/.331 slash line with three home runs and 21 RBI through 59 games this season. |
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Jun 27 2023 | Kirk (hand) is trending toward a Thursday return from the 10-day injured list, Mitch Bannon of SI.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: That is the first day that Kirk is eligible to be activated. He has been throwing, hitting and catching side sessions this week as he nears the end of his recovery from a laceration and bruise on his left hand. |
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Jun 19 2023 | The Blue Jays placed Kirk (hand) on the 10-day injured list Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk sustained a laceration in addition to some bruising to his left hand after being hit by a pitch in Sunday's 11-7 loss to the Rangers, and the Blue Jays evidently determined that his injury wasn't something he would fully recover from in just a couple of days. As a result, Kirk will hit the shelf for what could be a minimum-length stay, provided he doesn't experience any setbacks once he resumes baseball activities. Toronto called up Tyler Heineman from Triple-A Buffalo to provide depth behind top backstop Danny Jansen. |
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Jun 18 2023 | Kirk had X-rays on his left hand come back clean and was diagnosed with a laceration and a contusion Sunday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk exited Sunday's game at Texas after being hit by a pitch on the hand during his first plate appearance. The 24-year-old should be considered day-to-day as he continues to be evaluated, but it appears he's avoided a serious injury. |
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Jun 15 2023 | Kirk is not in the lineup for Thursday's game in Baltimore. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Danny Jansen will do the catching for Yusei Kikuchi. Kirk is sporting a lowly .606 OPS since the beginning of May. |
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Jun 14 2023 | Kirk went 3-for-5 with three RBI in Tuesday's 11-6 loss to Baltimore. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk was responsible for half of Toronto's scoring Tuesday, picking up three RBI singles in the lopsided defeat. The 24-year-old backstop has gone 5-for-9 in his last two games following a 3-for-19 (.158) stretch over his previous seven contests. Through 192 plate appearances this season, Kirk's slashing .266/349/.349 with three homers, 14 runs scored and 21 RBI while splitting catching duties with Danny Jansen. |
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Jun 9 2023 | Kirk is out of the starting lineup Friday against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Tyler Heineman will catch and bat ninth versus the Twins and right-hander Sonny Gray. Kirk has posted a relatively disappointing .260/.350/.351 slash line with three home runs and 18 RBI through 51 games (177 plate appearances) this season for the Blue Jays. |
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Jun 7 2023 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk gets a breather after going 1-for-7 with a home run in the first two contests of the series. With Kirk on the bench Wednesday, Tyler Heineman will handle catching duties for the Blue Jays. |
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Jun 6 2023 | Kirk went 1-for-4 with his third home run of the season in Monday's loss to the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: His second-inning solo shot off Brandon Bielak didn't end up meaning much for the Blue Jays in an 11-4 rout, but it did snap a 27-game homerless streak for Kirk. The 24-year-old slashed a tepid .259/.308/.294 during his power drought, but with Danny Jansen (groin) still sidelined, Kirk will continue to be leaned on heavily behind the plate. |
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Jun 4 2023 | Kirk is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game versus the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has swung the bat well as of late and went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk in the Blue Jay's win over the Mets on Saturday, but he'll get a day of rest for the series finale against New York. Tyler Heineman is starting behind the plate in Kirk's absence. |
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Jun 1 2023 | Kirk is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk had started the last three contests but will sit out Thursday with it being a day game after a night game. Tyler Heineman will catch for Kevin Gausman. |
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May 27 2023 | Kirk will sit Saturday against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has served as the designated hitter just once in the last 20 games, so nearly all his playing time has to come behind the plate. Danny Jansen hit the injured list with a strained left groin Friday, which could mean an increased role for Kirk going forward, but it's Tyler Heineman who will be the catcher Saturday. |
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May 24 2023 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Now on the bench for the fourth time in six games, Kirk looks like he'll be stuck in a part-time role between catcher and designated hitter until he can begin to catch fire at the plate. Though he's getting on base at a strong .353 clip thus far in 2023, Kirk isn't hitting the ball with much authority, as his ISO of .090 is down 40 points from last season. Since Danny Jansen remains the superior defender behind the plate, he'll likely continue to get the bulk of the starts at catcher at Kirk's expense. |
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May 20 2023 | Kirk is not in the starting lineup Saturday versus the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will remain on the bench for a second straight game Saturday after he went 2-for-11 with a double and two strikeouts in the team's series with the Yankees. Danny Jansen will draw another start behind the plate and bat sixth against Baltimore. |
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May 16 2023 | Kirk is absent from the Blue Jays' lineup for Tuesday's tilt against the Yankees, Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Danny Jansen will catch Kevin Gausman. Kirk has seen his OPS on the year fall to .658 after a 3-for-30 start at the plate this month. |
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May 14 2023 | Kirk is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's contest against Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will take a seat to begin a second consecutive game, although he did appear in Saturday's win over Atlanta while going 0-for-2. Danny Jansen will be behind the plate for the Blue Jays and hit eighth against Collin McHugh. |
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May 13 2023 | Kirk will sit Saturday against Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk's plate discipline remains excellent this season, as he's walked 17.1 percent of the time to go with a 13.0 percent strikeout rate. He hasn't done much damage when he hits the ball, however, homering just twice while hitting .230, though his 8.1 percent barrel rate is just a tenth of a point below league average, suggesting potential for improvement. Danny Jansen starts behind the plate Saturday. |
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May 10 2023 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With the Blue Jays and Phillies concluding their series Wednesday with a game that begins at 4:05 p.m. ET, Kirk will receive a breather for getaway day after he caught all eight innings of Tuesday's 8-4 loss. Danny Jansen will step in behind the plate, catching for starting pitcher Kevin Gausman. |
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May 7 2023 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With a quick turnaround for Sunday's series finale, Kirk will get a breather after he caught all nine innings while going 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, an RBI and a run in Saturday's 8-2 win. Danny Jansen will slot in behind the plate while shortstop Bo Bichette gets a day out of the field and serves as Toronto's designated hitter. |
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May 1 2023 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Even though he produced five hits over his two starts this past weekend against the Mariners, Kirk will end up sitting for the second time in three days. Kirk still appears to be the Blue Jays' nominal No. 1 catcher, but Toronto remains incentivized to keep backup Danny Jansen involved due to Jansen's superior work on the defensive end. |
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Apr 29 2023 | Kirk is not in the lineup Saturday against the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk went 3-for-4 with a solo homer in the Blue Jays' win over the Mariners on Friday, but he'll take a seat Saturday as Danny Jansen slots in at catcher. Brandon Belt is serving as the designated hitter. |
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Apr 6 2023 | Kirk is absent from the Blue Jays' lineup for Thursday's game against the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He caught Wednesday night, so it will be Danny Jansen for a day game after a night game. Kirk has exactly one hit in each of his four games this season and has two RBI and one run scored. |
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Apr 4 2023 | Kirk isn't in the lineup for Toronto's game against the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has logged a hit in each of the three games he's played in this season so far, but will take a seat Tuesday in order to rest. Danny Jansen will take his place behind the dish and bat seventh. |
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Apr 1 2023 | Kirk will sit Saturday against St. Louis. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk is expected to split time with Danny Jansen behind the plate this season while also sharing designated hitter duties with Brandon Belt. It was Kirk behind the plate and Belt at DH on Opening Day, but it will be Jansen and Belt who get the starts Saturday. |
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Mar 20 2023 | Kirk (illness) went through a full workout Monday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk had to be scratched from Sunday's lineup with a non-COVID-related illness but was feeling better a day later. The Blue Jays are off Tuesday, setting Kirk up for a possible return to game action Wednesday. |
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Mar 19 2023 | Kirk was scratched from Sunday's Grapefruit League lineup against the Rays due to a non-COVID-19 illness. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk was penciled in to start behind the plate and bat cleanup, but an ailment will prevent him from taking the field. The 24-year-old's status for Opening Day shouldn't be affected by the illness, and he'll likely return to the lineup within the next few days. |
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Mar 13 2023 | Kirk (personal) will start at catcher and bat third in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: As Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun notes, rain is in the forecast in Dunedin, Fla. for Monday's game, so Kirk could have his spring debut pushed back a day or play fewer innings behind the plate than anticipated. In any case, Kirk looks on track to be ready to go for Opening Day, after he had previously spent the early part of camp away from the team to witness the birth of his child. After hitting .285 with 14 home runs and 63 RBI in 2022 while also making his first All-Star Game appearance, Kirk profiles as a strong No. 1 catcher for fantasy squads during the upcoming season. |
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Mar 10 2023 | Kirk (personal) could make his Grapefruit League debut as soon as Sunday or Monday, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk didn't report to camp until the beginning of March after being away from the team while awaiting the birth of his child. He's getting back up to speed, though, and is nearly ready for games. |
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Mar 2 2023 | Kirk (personal) arrived to Blue Jays camp Thursday and is expected to be ready for game action during the second half of next week, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk was away from the team while awaiting the birth of his child but has now joined the team. He had been working out on his own while at home in California, though, so the Blue Jays expect him to get back up to speed quickly and be ready in plenty of time ahead of Opening Day. |
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Mar 1 2023 | Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Kirk (personal) is expected to report to spring training Thursday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has been away from the team while awaiting the birth of his child. The backstop will have some catching up to do after missing the first few weeks of spring training, but Matheson relayed he's been doing individual work in California while away from the team. Kirk is expected to serve as the Blue Jays' Opening Day backstop, and he should be in store for frequent starts at designated hitter on days when Danny Jansen catches. |
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Feb 25 2023 | Kirk (personal) withdrew from the Mexican World Baseball Classic team Saturday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk isn't dealing with an injury, but he's yet to arrive at camp as he awaits the birth of his child. Both he and the Blue Jays felt that his eventual arrival wouldn't give him time to adequately prepare to catch Toronto's new pitchers and acclimate to the new MLB rules while also spending time with Team Mexico. The news is a blow to Mexico's chances of advancing beyond the first round of the World Baseball Classic for the first time since 2009. |
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Feb 22 2023 | Blue Jays manager John Schneider noted Wednesday that Kirk (personal) might not be able to represent Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has not yet arrived at Blue Jays camp in Florida as he awaits the birth of his child. "You're getting to the point where you really have to make the best decision for the club," Schneider said Wednesday. "Nothing yet on the baby front, so we've talked through a number of different scenarios regarding what's best for him and what's best for us. If it does get to that, then that will be part of the equation." Team Mexico is set to begin WBC play on March 11 in Phoenix. |
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Feb 18 2023 | Kirk has yet to report to spring training as he awaits the birth of his child, Gregor Chisholm of The Toronto Star reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: "We're still on baby watch," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Friday. "I thought it was going to be (Thursday). My last update this morning was, 'Not quite yet.' " Kirk is going to play for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, so after he does report he might only get in a couple weeks work before departing for the tournament in early March. |
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Oct 5 2022 | Kirk is out of the lineup for the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader with the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will end up getting the full day off after he was on the bench for the Blue Jays' 5-4 loss in Game 1 of the twin bill. Danny Jansen will get a turn behind the plate while Teoscar Hernandez serves as Toronto's designated hitter. |
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Oct 4 2022 | Kirk is not in Tuesday's lineup against the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Several of the Jays' regulars are getting Tuesday off, including Kirk. Gabriel Moreno is starting behind the dish. |
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Oct 2 2022 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk is 4-for-28 across his past eight games and will take a seat for Sunday's series finale. George Springer will receive some rest as the designated hitter while Jackie Bradley starts in center field. |
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Sep 28 2022 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After starting each of the past eight games as either a catcher or designated hitter, Kirk will effectively get two days of rest while he sits Wednesday and with the Blue Jays off the schedule Thursday. Danny Jansen will handle catching duties in the series finale while George Springer serves as Toronto's designated hitter. |
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Sep 26 2022 | Kirk went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Sunday's 7-1 win over the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The solo shot brought Kirk's RBI total to 62 on the season, good for fifth among all players who qualify at catcher. The 23-year-old backstop will be serving as Toronto's designated hitter in Monday's series opener with the Yankees, batting cleanup against New York right-hander Luis Severino. |
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Sep 21 2022 | Kirk (hip) went 3-for-5 with a walk, two RBI and two runs in Tuesday's 18-11 win over the Phillies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk didn't miss a beat in his return to the lineup following a one-week absence due to the hip injury. The All-Star backstop served as Toronto's designated hitter Tuesday and could end up seeing the majority of his starts in a non-defensive role to close out the season, as fellow backstop Danny Jansen has swung a hot bat of late to stake his claim to a regular spot in the lineup at catcher. |
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Sep 20 2022 | Kirk (hip) is starting at designated hitter and batting cleanup Tuesday against the Phillies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He makes his anticipated return to the heart of the Jays lineup after missing almost a week with the hip injury. Kirk is hitting .289 with four runs and eight RBI this month but he is still searching for his first September home run. |
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Sep 18 2022 | Kirk (hip) is expected to return Tuesday against the Phillies, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk was excluded from the lineup for a fifth consecutive game Sunday against the Orioles, but he was available off the bench if needed. The 23-year-old should be able to return to the lineup following Monday's scheduled day off. |
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Sep 17 2022 | Kirk (hip) isn't starting Saturday against the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Although Kirk is out of the lineup for a fourth consecutive matchup, he has resumed running and hasn't been ruled out for Sunday's series finale against Baltimore, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. However, Vladimir Guerrero will rest his legs as the designated hitter Saturday. |
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Sep 16 2022 | Kirk (hip) hit and played catch Friday, but he is not yet running, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: According to Zwelling, the Jays hope Kirk will continue to make progress through the weekend, so it seems like he is day-to-day at best, and perhaps several days away from a return. Danny Jansen is starting behind the dish. |
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Sep 15 2022 | Kirk, who is not in the lineup Thursday against the Rays, is dealing with left hip tightness, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It was a bit puzzling that Kirk was held out of the lineup Thursday for a second straight day, but the hip issue explains the his absence. Kirk is considered day-to-day and could be available off the bench if needed. |
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Sep 14 2022 | Kirk isn't in the lineup Wednesday against the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk is getting a day off after he hit .333 with two doubles, six RBI, four runs, three walks and five strikeouts over the last eight games. Vladimir Guerrero will rest his legs as the designated hitter during Wednesday's matchup. |
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Sep 8 2022 | Kirk went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI in a 4-1 win against Baltimore on Wednesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk recorded three of Toronto's nine singles in the contest, and his fifth-inning knock resulted in the team's third run. This was the backstop's fourth straight game with an RBI, and he's gone 7-for-10 at the plate over the past two days. The hot stretch has pushed his batting average back over the .300 mark to .302. |
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Sep 5 2022 | Kirk isn't in the lineup for the second game of Monday's doubleheader with the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With George Springer serving as the Blue Jays' designated hitter in Game 2 and Danny Jansen checking in behind the plate, Kirk will retreat to the bench. Kirk caught all nine innings of the Jays' 7-3 win in Game 1, going 0-for-4 with a walk and an RBI. |
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Sep 3 2022 | Kirk isn't in the lineup Saturday against the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk drew starts in the last two games and went 1-for-7 with a three-run homer, two walks and a strikeout. George Springer will take over as the designated hitter and lead off Saturday. |
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Aug 30 2022 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Cubs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk heads to the bench after making two starts apiece at catcher and designated hitter over the Blue Jays' last four contests while going 2-for-14 with four walks. Danny Jansen will relieve Kirk behind the plate Tuesday, while George Springer gets a day out of the outfield to handle DH duties. |
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Aug 25 2022 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk started the past eight games and will head to the bench after posting a .333/.400/.433 slash line with three doubles and seven RBI during that span. Danny Jansen will take over behind the plate in the series finale at Boston. |
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Aug 24 2022 | Kirk went 3-for-5 with an RBI in Wednesday's extra-innings victory over the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The All-Star catcher recorded three hits Wednesday after going hitless in his previous two games. The multi-hit effort pushed Kirk's batting average back over .300. Of catchers with at least 200 plate appearances, Kirk is the only one with an average over that mark, with the second being Chrsitian Vazquez at .288, followed by Will Smith at .270. Sporting an elite batting average, double digit home runs, and solid counting stats hitting in the middle of Toronto's lineup, Kirk has been one of the greatest surprises of the 2022 season. |
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Aug 20 2022 | Kirk went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Friday's 4-0 win over the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 23-year-old backstop slumped coming out of his first All-Star Game appearance, but Kirk appears to be finding his groove again. Over his last 10 games, he's batting .351 (13-for-37) with two doubles, two runs and five RBI, and as the rest of the Toronto offense heats up again too, Kirk's overall production should rise as well. |
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Aug 15 2022 | Kirk is not in the starting lineup Monday versus the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a day off after he went 1-for-10 with two strikeouts in the three-game series versus the Guardians. George Springer (shoulder) will take over at designated hitter in his return to the lineup and bat leadoff in the series opener. |
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Aug 9 2022 | Kirk went 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored in Tuesday's loss to the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The All-Start catcher recorded three more hits Tuesday, as he continues to show why he was the AL's starting catcher in the Mid-Summer Classic. Kirk's excellent performance has been no fluke as he is above the 90th percentile among all MLB hitters in strikeout rate, average exit velocity, xwOBA, and xBA. Expect Kirk to continue putting up strong ratios and counting stats batting routinely in the heart of John Schneider's lineup. |
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Aug 5 2022 | Kirk is not in Friday's lineup against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk is hitless in his last 12 at-bats, which qualifies as a pretty bad slump by his standards. He is hitting .303/.387/.467 with 12 home runs in 351 plate appearances. |
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Jul 30 2022 | Kirk isn't starting Saturday against the Tigers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk started the last four games and went 4-for-16 with a home run, a double and two RBI. George Springer is serving as the designated hitter while Raimel Tapia starts in center field. |
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Jul 29 2022 | Kirk went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double and an RBI in Thursday's win over the Tigers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 23-year-old hasn't let his first career All-Star appearance go to his head. Kirk has five multi-hit performances in his last 11 games dating back to July 12, batting .356 (16-for-45) over that stretch with two doubles and two homers to boost his slash line on the season to .316/.394/.490. Danny Jansen will likely see the majority of starts behind the plate now that he's healthy again, but Kirk will still be a fixture in the Blue Jays lineup while splitting his time between catcher and DH. |
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Jul 24 2022 | Kirk is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a breather after he went 4-for-9 with an RBI and two runs scored in the first two contests of the series. Lourdes Gurriel will slide into the designated hitter spot while Raimel Tapia enters the lineup in left field and bats eighth versus Boston. |
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Jul 18 2022 | Kirk went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Sunday's win over the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Just ahead of his first career appearance in the All-Star Game, Kirk played hero for the Blue Jays, taking Wyatt Mills deep in the eighth inning to break a 2-2 tie. The homer was his 11th of the season, snapping a 19-game drought, but Kirk has hardly been quiet in July -- he's hit safely in six straight games and sports a .298/.333/.386 slash line through 16 contests on the month. |
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Jul 10 2022 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game at Seattle. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk was in the lineup the past six games and posted a .530 OPS during that stretch, and he'll take a seat for Sunday's series finale. Gabriel Moreno will work behind the plate in his place and bat eighth. |
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Jul 3 2022 | Kirk is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has played a lot through the first three months of the season, and while a fair amount of that has been as the designated hitter, he needs a day off his feet every now and then. The 23-year-old is in the midst of a breakout and is looking like one of the best pure hitters in baseball -- not just at the catcher position -- with a .318/.409/.512 line through 69 games. |
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Jul 2 2022 | Kirk isn't starting the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk drew starts in the last three games and went 2-for-11 with a double, three runs, an RBI and a walk. He'll get a breather in Saturday's matinee while Gabriel Moreno starts behind the dish and Cavan Biggio enters the lineup at first base. |
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Jun 28 2022 | Kirk will sit Tuesday against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has broken out this season to the tune of a .322/.411/.525 slash line, with his 9.7 percent strikeout rate and 10.5 percent barrel rate representing a rare combination of contact and power. That's earned him frequent opportunities as a designated hitter whenever he isn't needed behind the plate, but he won't start at either spot this time around. Gabriel Moreno will catch for Ross Stripling while George Springer rests his legs in the designated hitter spot. |
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Jun 27 2022 | Kirk went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in Sunday's loss against the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk launched a three-run blast in the first inning that scored George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero, the only runs that Toronto would score in the loss. The homer was Kirk's fourth in five games. Additionally, the catcher has nine hits during that span, including two two-hit performances and a four-hit game. Kirk is now slashing .322/.409/.523 on the season to go along with 10 home runs. |
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Jun 25 2022 | Kirk (hand) will bat cleanup as the designated hitter Saturday against the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 23-year-old sustained a bruise on his left hand when he was clipped by the bat on a backswing during Friday's contest, but X-rays came back negative and he won't end up missing a game. Kirk has homered in his past three contests, going 7-for-14 with six RBI and four runs. |
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Jun 24 2022 | Kirk was diagnosed with a bruised left hand when X-rays came back negative after being removed from Friday's game at Milwaukee, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk was clipped on his glove hand by the bat on a backswing during the bottom of the seventh inning, but it appears he's avoided a serious injury. The 23-year-old continued his tear at the plate prior to exiting and homered for the third straight game. In addition to the two-run home run Friday, he went 3-for-3 with another run scored. |
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Jun 22 2022 | Kirk went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional RBI during Wednesday's 9-5 win against the White Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk delivered an RBI single during the opening frame to start the scoring, and he followed up with a solo shot to center field during the third inning. The 23-year-old has gone deep in two straight games and is hitting .313 with five home runs, 13 RBI, 15 runs and a 10:10 BB:K through 18 contests in June. |
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Jun 20 2022 | Kirk isn't starting Monday's game against the White Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk started in the last five games and went 4-for-16 with a home run, a double, four runs and three RBI during that time. Vladimir Guerrero is serving as the designated hitter while Gabriel Moreno starts behind the dish. |
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Jun 18 2022 | Kirk went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a second run scored in Friday's 12-3 loss to the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He took Jordan Montgomery deep in the sixth inning, but the Blue Jays were already in a 10-1 hole at that point. Kirk is slashing .354/.446/.604 through 14 games in June with three of his six homers on the season, and he should continue to see regular playing time between DH and catcher as long as he's raking. |
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Jun 17 2022 | Kirk went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI in Thursday's loss to the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Getting the start at DH and hitting cleanup, Kirk was the only Blue Jay to collect multiple hits in a rough 10-2 loss. Rookie Gabriel Moreno seems to be Toronto's preferred option behind the plate right now given his defensive skills, but Kirk has still started five of seven games since Moreno's promotion as he splits time between designated hitter and catcher. Kirk's .356/.442/.556 slash line in June with two homers, eight RBI and nine runs through 52 plate appearances makes a compelling case for a consistent spot in the lineup. |
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Jun 14 2022 | Kirk is not in Tuesday's lineup against the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Gabriel Moreno will start behind the dish while George Springer gets the nod at designated hitter. Kirk is hitting .351 with two home runs in 10 games this month. |
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Jun 11 2022 | Kirk went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored in Friday's win over the Tigers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk doubled home Bo Bichette in the top of the first inning and sent Vladimir Guerrero Jr. home on a single in the sixth. The catcher was able to score on a fifth-inning double from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Kirk is off to a scorching start to June, batting .429 this month after a hit in his last six games, including four multi-hit performances. In 13 games since May 23, he's only gone hitless once. |
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Jun 8 2022 | Kirk isn't in the lineup Wednesday against the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has crossed the plate in four consecutive matchups, and he went 8-for-16 with two homers, six runs, three RBI, three walks and two strikeouts during that time. Zack Collins will start behind the dish and bat eighth. |
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Jun 7 2022 | Kirk went 4-for-5 with a run scored in Tuesday's win over the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk singled and scored on a Matt Chapman double in the top of the second inning before later adding three more base knocks in the contest. He now has a five game hit streak, going 10-for-19 with two home runs, three RBI and six runs over that stretch. Since May 23, Kirk has notched at least one hit in 11 out of 12 games, raising his season-long batting average from .260 to .322. He continues to split time with Danny Jansen at catcher, but he has carved out a consistent role as the Blue Jays' top option at designated hitter. |
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Jun 3 2022 | Kirk isn't starting Friday against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a breather after he went 7-for-16 with two homers, two doubles, six runs, five RBI, two walks and two strikeouts over the last four games. Teoscar Hernandez will serve as the designated hitter while Raimel Tapia starts in right field. |
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Jun 1 2022 | Kirk went 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI in Tuesday's 6-5 win over the White Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He got the Blue Jays on the board with a two-run shot off Lucas Giolito in the second inning, then took the Chicago right-hander deep again for a two-run blast in the fifth that wound up supplying the winning runs for Toronto. Kirk snapped an 18-game homer drought with the performance and has only three long balls on the season, but he's riding a six-game hitting streak during which he's gone 11-for-21 (.524) with three doubles, six RBI and 10 runs scored. |
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May 29 2022 | Kirk went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, a walk and four runs scored in Sunday's 11-10 win over the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has scored eight runs in his last five games, a span in which he's gone 8-for-17 with three doubles. The catcher has played well for much of the season, but his recent uptick in offense has lifted his slash line to .289/.371/.372 with a home run, nine RBI, 15 runs scored and seven doubles in 140 plate appearances. If Danny Jansen (hip) is forced to miss any more time, Kirk would logically pick up the slack behind the dish. |
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May 22 2022 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk is 4-for-19 with two doubles, four walks, two RBI and a run over his past seven contests and will head to the bench Sunday for the second time in the past three games. Danny Jansen will take over behind the plate and bat seventh. |
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May 20 2022 | Kirk will be on the bench Friday against the Reds. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has held onto regular playing time even after Danny Jansen returned from an oblique injury, starting twice behind the plate and twice as the designated hitter through six games. He's hitting .311/.373/.467 with more walks (five) than strikeouts (four) over his last 14 games, but he'll hit the bench here with Jansen behind the plate and George Springer serving as the designated hitter. |
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May 16 2022 | Kirk will sit Monday against the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has picked things up at the plate after a slow start, slashing .289/.333/.447 over his last 11 games. He'll head to the bench Monday with Danny Jansen catching for Yusei Kikuchi and Zach Collins serving as the designated hitter. |
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May 5 2022 | Kirk went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Thursday against the Guardians. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk led off the seventh inning with his first home run of the season. He has only two extra-base hits across 77 plate appearances to begin the campaign, resulting in a .313 slugging percentage. There are still plenty of things to like in Kirk's profile, however, highlighted by his plate discipline as he's earned nine passes as opposed to striking out only eight times. |
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May 4 2022 | Kirk isn't starting Wednesday against the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk started in the last four games and went 3-for-13 with a double, a run, a walk and three strikeouts. Tyler Heineman will start behind the dish and bat eighth. |
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Apr 26 2022 | Kirk will sit Tuesday against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk finds himself sitting in favor of Zack Collins for the second time in three games. Kirk's .227/.327/.227 season slash line is poor, though he's at least seeing the ball well, striking out just four times to go along with seven walks. He's not hitting the ball with much authority, however, as his barrel rate has dropped from 11.0 percent last season to 2.4 percent this year. He's yet to record an extra-base hit. |
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Apr 24 2022 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After drawing two straight starts behind the plate, Kirk will cede catching duties to Zack Collins for the series finale. Kirk's dormant bat has began to wake up over his past four games; he's reached base at a .438 clip during that stretch. |
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Apr 21 2022 | Kirk is not in Thursday's lineup against the Red Sox, Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has been on fire of late, going 7-for-16 with five walks and zero strikeouts over his last six games. Zack Collins will start behind the dish and bat cleanup. |
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Apr 15 2022 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Athletics. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has started the past four games (three at catcher one at designated hitter) and will receive a breather for Friday's series opener. He has two multi-hit games this season but is 0-for-13 in the other four games. Zack Collins will work behind the plate in his place. |
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Apr 10 2022 | Kirk is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk served as the designated hitter Opening Day and worked behind the plate Saturday for Toronto, and he'll receive the day off in the series finale. George Springer will serve as the designated hitter Sunday with Raimel Tapia roaming center field, while Danny Jansen starts at catcher. |
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Mar 24 2022 | Kirk could have a clearer path to playing time this season than previously expected, as Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that the Blue Jays traded Randal Grichuk to the Rockies for Raimel Tapia and Adrian Pinto on Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While the Grichuk-for-Tapia part of the deal doesn't reduce the number of MLB-caliber players on the Blue Jays' roster, it's partially a cost-cutting move and not necessarily a straight swap in terms of talent. Grichuk has a better bat than Tapia, with the former's 102 career wRC+ easily besting the latter's career mark of 78. Prior to the trade, Toronto's optimal configuration may have seen Grichuk in the outfield and Teoscar Hernandez at designated hitter, leaving Kirk to fight for playing time behind the plate with Danny Jansen. Now, the best setup may see Hernandez in the outfield, leaving Kirk to serve as the primary DH. Kirk is young and inexperienced but has the talent to fill the role, as he produced a strong 11.0 percent barrel rate and an excellent 11.6 percent strikeout rate in 60 games last season. |
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Mar 21 2022 | Kirk went 2-for-3 with a double and a two-run home run in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Getting the start at DH and hitting fourth, Kirk lifted a Dillon Peters offering over the fence in the left-field corner in the first inning. It was the first homer of the spring for the 23-year-old, giving Kirk an early edge over Danny Jansen in the competition for the Blue Jays' starting catcher job. |
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Sep 29 2021 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will take a seat for the third game in a row while he remains in the midst of a cold stretch at the plate. Since his two-homer game against the Yankees on Sept. 7, Kirk is hitting .105 and reaching base at a .227 clip over a stretch of 14 contests. Kirk doesn't provide much value when he's not wielding a hot bat, so he looks like he could finish the season as the No. 2 option at catcher behind the more defensive-minded Danny Jansen. |
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Sep 28 2021 | Kirk will sit Tuesday against the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has suddenly gone quite cold at the plate, hitting just .105/.227/.184 over his last 14 games, though his 6:5 BB:K over that stretch indicates that he's still seeing the ball well. Danny Jansen starts behind the plate Tuesday. |
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Sep 26 2021 | Kirk is on the bench for Sunday's game against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk rests after starting consecutive games and going 1-for-6. Danny Jansen starts behind the dish for Sunday's series finale. |
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Sep 24 2021 | Kirk will serve as the designated hitter Friday against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk sat the past two games in favor of Reese McGuire and Danny Jansen but he will return to the lineup as the DH on Friday. He is hitless across his last 13 at-bats dating back to Sept. 21. |
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Sep 23 2021 | Kirk is out of the lineup again Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The catcher will sit for the second consecutive contest. Over his last 11 games, Kirk has batted .094 with only one home run and two RBI in 32 at-bats. Danny Jansen will start behind the plate and bat ninth. |
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Sep 22 2021 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a breather for the matinee game after catching both of the first two contests of the series while going hitless across seven at-bats. Reese McGuire will replace Kirk behind the plate. |
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Sep 20 2021 | Kirk will start at catcher and bat sixth Monday against the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk was on the bench for each of the past three games, but he'll step back in behind the dish to catch Cy Young candidate Robbie Ray in Monday's series opener. Though Kirk remains Toronto's top hitting catcher, Danny Jansen's superior defense may make him the more useful asset for a Blue Jays lineup that already boasts plenty of quality bats. Expect the two to remain part of a timeshare the rest of the way. |
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Sep 19 2021 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has a .983 OPS through 12 games in September but finds himself on the bench for the third consecutive contest. Danny Jansen starts Sunday and also worked behind the plate Friday, while Reese McGuire received the nod for Saturday's game. |
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Sep 18 2021 | Kirk remains on the bench for Saturday's game against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The bat-first backstop owns a strong .823 OPS on the season, but he's hit just .125/.250/.250 across his last seven games. He sat in favor of Danny Jansen on Friday and will remain on the bench Saturday, with Reese McGuire taking over behind the plate. |
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Sep 17 2021 | Kirk is out of the lineup Friday against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk is 3-for-23 in his past six games and will head to the bench Friday. Danny Jansen will take over behind the plate for the Blue Jays. |
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Sep 14 2021 | Kirk will sit Tuesday against Tampa Bay. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has been very impressive at the plate recently, going 9-for-27 with four homers and just three strikeouts over his last seven games, but he'll continue to receive frequent days off like most catchers. Reese McGuire takes over behind the plate Tuesday, catching Jose Berrios. |
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Sep 12 2021 | Kirk is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk gets the afternoon off after catching seven innings Saturday night, a game in which he went 1-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and a walk. Danny Jansen is catching and batting seventh Sunday. |
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Sep 11 2021 | Kirk is not in the lineup for Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Danny Jansen will start at catcher and bat ninth in the matinee. Look for Kirk to be back in the mix for the nightcap. |
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Sep 8 2021 | Kirk went 3-for-4 with two solo home runs and a third run scored in Tuesday's 5-1 win over the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 22-year-old got the start at DH while Reese McGuire handled catching duties and Kirk embraced the 'hitter' part of his job description, taking Gerrit Cole the other way in the second inning before capping the scoring in the eighth with a blast off Clay Holmes. Remarkably, even though Kirk has only seven homers on the year, this was his second multi-homer performance, with the other coming April 30 against Atlanta. On the season, the young backstop is slashing .290/.362/.524 through 45 games, and the Jays will likely continue to find ways to get his bat in the lineup as they push for a playoff spot. |
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Sep 6 2021 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk and Danny Jansen clearly appear to be ahead on the Blue Jays' depth chart at catcher ahead of No. 3 option Reese McGuire, who hasn't started since Aug. 29. Meanwhile, Kirk has caught four games since that time, while Jansen will draw his third start at catcher Monday. Look for Kirk and Jansen to remain in a rough timeshare for most of September, though the job battle could tilt more in Kirk's direction if he continues to thrive at the dish. |
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Sep 5 2021 | Kirk went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run, a double and two total runs scored in Sunday's 8-0 win over Oakland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This was the catcher's first multi-hit effort in his last eight games, and he hit just .192 (5-for-26) in that span. Kirk solidified Toronto's lead with his third-inning blast, which was his fifth homer in 44 contests this year. He's added 20 RBI, 14 runs scored, eight doubles and a .275/.350/.467 slash line across 137 plate appearances. |
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Sep 1 2021 | Kirk will start at catcher and bat sixth Wednesday against the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk was on the bench for Tuesday's 4-2 loss, which coincided with Danny Jansen (hamstring) making his return from the 10-day injured list. Though Jansen is the top defender among the three catchers on Toronto's active roster, his underwhelming .635 OPS means he likely won't dominate the playing time behind the plate in September. Look for Kirk and Reese McGuire to remain part of a timeshare at catcher with Jansen until one of the three clearly separates himself from the others in the competition for at-bats. |
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Aug 29 2021 | Kirk went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Saturday's 3-2 extra-inning win over the Tigers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He took Tyler Alexander deep in the sixth inning for the game's first run. Kirk has started six of the last nine games, slashing .318/.360/.545 in 25 plate appearances over that stretch, but Saturday's homer was only his fourth of the year and first since April 30. |
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Aug 18 2021 | Kirk isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will retreat to the bench for the third time in the last four games as he continues to split time behind the dish. Reese McGuire will start at catcher and bat eighth, and at least for the time being, he may have emerged as the Jays' preferred option over Kirk. |
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Aug 17 2021 | Kirk is not starting Tuesday against the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will take a seat for the second time in three games as Reese McGuire catches Alek Manoah and bats eighth. Kirk has received a relatively even split of the catching duties with McGuire since rejoining the big-league roster in late July, and that seems likely to be the case going forward. |
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Aug 15 2021 | Kirk went 1-for-4 with a two-run double in Sunday's 8-3 win over the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Picking up his fourth start in six games, Kirk provided a big two-out, extra-base hit in the third inning to help the Blue Jays dig out of an early 1-0 hole. Given his recent workload, Kirk appears to have moved ahead of Reese McGuire as Option 1A behind the plate for Toronto. |
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Aug 14 2021 | Kirk will sit Saturday against Seattle. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has hit .294/.342/.382 in 11 games since returning to the roster in late June. Reese McGuire will start behind the plate in his absence. |
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Aug 4 2021 | Kirk isn't starting Wednesday's game against Cleveland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has recorded hits in each of his last three appearances, but he'll be out of the lineup for the third time in the last four games. Reese McGuire will start behind the plate and bat ninth. |
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Aug 3 2021 | Kirk is not starting Tuesday's game against Cleveland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk went 1-for-4 with a double and three strikeouts Monday. In six games since rejoining the Blue Jays, he's gone 6-for-19 with two doubles, one walk and no RBI. Reese McGuire will catch and bat ninth Tuesday. |
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Aug 1 2021 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will get a breather after he caught both of the Blue Jays' past two games, during which he went 2-for-5 with a walk and a run. Reese McGuire will be behind the dish in the series finale. |
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Jul 29 2021 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk will take a seat for the series finale, allowing Reese McGuire to pick up a start behind the plate. The two backstops have been working in a timeshare since Kirk was called up from Triple-A Buffalo, and that arrangement will likely remain in place until one of the two catchers performs dramatically better than the other. |
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Jul 28 2021 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk started at catcher and went 0-for-3 in the matinee, and it's no surprise he won't be starting both games of the twin bill. Reese McGuire will work behind the plate and bat ninth in the nightcap. |
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Jul 26 2021 | Kirk is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk and Reese McGuire have alternated starts behind the dish since Kirk joined the roster Friday. McGuire will take his turn Monday, but Kirk has gone 3-for-7 with a double in the two games since his return, raising his season OPS to .829 through 19 games, so he's likely to keep earning opportunities. |
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Jul 24 2021 | Kirk is not starting Saturday's game against the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 22-year-old was recalled from Triple-A on Friday and went 1-for-3 in his first MLB game since May 1. He takes a seat Saturday, with Reese McGuire starting behind the dish and batting eighth. |
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Jul 23 2021 | Kirk was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Friday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk was activated from the injured list Tuesday and optioned to Triple-A, but he'll quickly rejoin the major-league roster for Toronto. Reese McGuire has a .671 OPS for the season and is 4-for-31 in his past 10 games, so Kirk should have the chance to secure the starting role behind the plate. Per Hazel Mae of Sportsnet, he'll start at catcher Friday versus the Mets. Danny Jansen (hamstring) was placed on the injured list in a corresponding move. |
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Jul 20 2021 | Kirk (hip) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Tuesday and optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk began a rehab assignment with Buffalo in late June and has gone 11-for-45 with a homer, two doubles and six RBI. With Reese McGuire and Danny Jansen currently handling the big-league catching duties, Kirk will remain in Triple-A for the time being. |
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Jul 6 2021 | Manager Charlie Montoyo said Tuesday that Kirk (hip) is "100 percent healthy" but will remain on his rehab assignment for now, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk had been dealing with left hip flexor discomfort since the start of May, and he's gone 5-for-13 with a home run, a double, four runs, three RBI and four walks across five rehab games at Triple-A Buffalo. The catcher will remain on the 60-day injured list for now to get some extra plate appearances in the minors, but he should be available to return to the Blue Jays in the near future. |
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Jul 3 2021 | Kirk (hip) will need to appear in a few more rehab games before he's cleared to return from the injured list, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has appeared in two rehab games with Triple-A Buffalo, and he's gone 2-for-5 with a double, two runs, two RBI and three walks. The Blue Jays aren't in need of immediate help at catcher after Danny Jansen (hamstring) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Saturday, so Kirk will have several more games to work in the minors before he rejoins the big-league club. |
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Jun 26 2021 | Kirk (hip) has joined Triple-A Buffalo for a rehab assignment, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk has been playing in games at extended spring training recently, but he'll likely progress to minor-league game action in the near future. The Blue Jays haven't yet indicated when the catcher could return to the major-league roster, but he's eligible to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list as early as July 1. |
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Jun 9 2021 | Kirk (hip) will serve as the designated hitter in a game at extended spring training Wednesday, Mitch Bannon of SI.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 22-year-old has been on the shelf since early May with strained left hip flexor, but he's progressing to the final stages of his rehab work. Kirk is on the 60-day injured list and isn't eligible to be activated until early July, and he could return when first eligible if he's able to begin a rehab assignment within the next few weeks. |
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May 12 2021 | Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said Wednesday that Kirk (hip) has resumed throwing and hitting off a tee, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The activity marks a step in the right direction for Kirk, but after being placed on the 60-day injured list over the weekend, he'll be facing a lengthy recovery process. If all goes well in Kirk's rehab program and he avoids any setbacks, he'll be ready to rejoin Toronto shortly before the All-Star break. |
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May 8 2021 | Kirk (hip) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: General manager Ross Atkins indicated Thursday that Kirk could return in approximately four weeks, but the catcher will now be out until at least July due to his strained left hip flexor. Danny Jansen should continue to serve as the primary catcher with Reese McGuire available as a depth option. |
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May 6 2021 | Kirk (hip) is expected to return in four weeks, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Previous reports indicated that Kirk could miss as much as six weeks with his strained left hip flexor, but it looks as though his timeline has been revised to be slightly more optimistic. The young catcher's injury was poorly timed, as he was just starting to heat up at the plate, going 5-for-13 with a pair of homers in his last five games after hitting just .148 in his first 12 contests. |
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May 3 2021 | Kirk (hip) is expected to miss significant time due to his injury, Ben Wagner of Sportsnet reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hip flexor strain Sunday, and he's expected to miss at least six weeks. Riley Adams was recalled by the Blue Jays on Sunday and should serve as the No. 2 option at catcher behind Danny Jansen. |
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May 2 2021 | The Blue Jays will place Kirk (hip) on the 10-day injured list ahead of Sunday's game against Atlanta, Ben Wagner of Sportsnet reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The transaction will clear a spot on the 26-man roster for Ross Stripling (forearm), who will be reinstated from the IL ahead of his scheduled start Sunday. Before exiting Saturday's game with a left hip flexor strain, Kirk had been off to a slow start to the 2021 season, slashing .225/.326/.475 in 46 plate appearances while serving as the No. 2 option at catcher behind Danny Jansen. |
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May 1 2021 | Kirk was removed from Saturday's game versus Atlanta with left hip flexor discomfort. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 22-year-old went 0-for-1 with a walk and a run before exiting the contest. The severity of the injury remains unclear, but Kirk figures to take a seat for the series finale Sunday afternoon. |
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Apr 30 2021 | Kirk went 2-for-4 with a walk, two home runs, three runs scored and four RBI in Friday's 13-5 win over Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The rookie catcher isn't noted for his power, but he took Drew Smyly deep in the fourth inning and pounded an Edgar Santana over the fence in the fifth for the first multi-homer game of his young career. Kirk heads into May hitting only .231 with three home runs and eight RBI in 16 games, but if his bat continues to heat up, the starting job behind the plate is there for the taking in Toronto. |
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Apr 21 2021 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk was included in the lineup in each of the past four games, making two starts at designated hitter and two at catcher. Cavan Biggio's three-game absence due to a hand injury helped Kirk pick up some extra playing time, but the 22-year-old's path to an everyday role will ultimately hinge on the Blue Jays' comfort with him behind the dish. The Blue Jays' No. 1 catcher, Danny Jansen, is slashing .065/.147/.097 through 34 plate appearances this season, making it increasingly difficult for Toronto to trot him out on a regular basis. |
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Apr 14 2021 | Kirk went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run during Wednesday's 5-4 win over the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 22-year-old was hitless in 13 at-bats through his first six appearances of the season, but he finally connected Wednesday for his second home run of his career. Kirk has received five starts in Toronto's first 12 games of the year and may need to improve at the plate to maintain that level of playing time, though fellow catcher Danny Jansen has struggled similarly (2-for-22) to open 2021. |
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Mar 28 2021 | Kirk was informed Sunday that he would be part of the Blue Jays' Opening Day roster, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After mashing over his nine games with the Blue Jays as a rookie late in the 2020 season, Kirk hasn't cooled off so far this spring, posting a .917 OPS in 24 at-bats. While Danny Jansen's superior defense should keep him locked in as the Blue Jays' top catcher to begin 2021, Toronto likely wouldn't have carried the 22-year-old Kirk on the Opening Day roster if he wasn't in line for a fair share of at-bats. It's reasonable to expect a 60-40 percent split of the playing time at catcher between Jansen and Kirk, with the latter perhaps occasionally factoring into the mix at designated hitter as well. That should be enough to make Kirk a draftable option in AL-only leagues and deeper mixed leagues that start two catchers. |
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Mar 14 2021 | Kirk picked up two more hits in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles, including a single that left his bat with an exit velocity of 110.3 mph, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The young catcher is 5-for-10 to begin the spring with a home run and a 1:1 BB:K. On talent alone, Kirk would be considered the favorite to win the No. 2 catcher job behind Danny Jansen to begin the season, but complicating the picture for the Jays is that Reese McGuire is out of minor-league options. As a result, Kirk could begin the season at Triple-A regardless of how he looks this spring if the organization doesn't want to risk losing McGuire on waivers. |
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Feb 19 2021 | Kirk could serve as the Blue Jays' backup catcher while continuing his development, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk jumped straight from High-A to the majors last season and hit an impressive .375/.400/.583, though that came in just 25 trips to the plate. There's a case to be made that he's already Toronto's top offensive backstop, but Danny Jansen is a better defender and is expected to open the season as the starter. The question for Toronto is whether or not Kirk should play on a regular basis in the minors or appear more infrequently at the big-league level. The Blue Jays want to develop his durability, as he's never played more than 92 games in a season in the minors, but they also appear to be looking to win now, and Kirk would likely help more than Reese McGuire in that regard. |
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Sep 30 2020 | Kirk is out of the lineup Wednesday for Game 2 of the Blue Jays' wild-card series with the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With Vladimir Guerrero serving as the team's designated hitter Wednesday and Danny Jansen starting behind the plate, Kirk will be squeezed out of the lineup. The rookie was the DH in Tuesday's 3-1 loss, going 1-for-3 with a base hit. |
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Sep 23 2020 | Kirk is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Though he'll take a seat Wednesday, Kirk may have inched ahead of Danny Jansen as the Blue Jays' preferred backstop. The rookie made a splash while starting behind the dish in the first two games of the series, going 5-for-7 with a home run and a double. Jansen, meanwhile, has two extra-base hits in his last 16 games combined. |
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Sep 21 2020 | Kirk went 4-for-4 with a solo home run, double and three runs scored in Monday's 11-5 win over the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After going 2-for-10 to start his major-league career, the backstop broke out in a big way Monday. He singled and scored in the third, doubled and scored in the fourth and capped his night off with his first big-league long ball in the seventh. Kirk has shared time with Danny Jansen at catcher since being promoted Sept. 11, but could be in line for a larger portion of the at-bats if he can build off Monday's performance. |
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Sep 11 2020 | Kirk's contract was selected by the Blue Jays on Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kirk is an interesting prospect, with an above-average arm and the potential to hit for high average, though he's making quite the jump, as he's yet to play above High-A. He produced a strong .288/.395/.446 slash line with more walks than strikeouts in 71 games at that level last season, though a significant regression should be expected given that he's skipping two levels. The Blue Jays have gotten very little at the plate from their catchers this season, however, with Danny Jansen producing a .603 OPS and Reese McGuire posting a .220 OPS, so he won't have to look all that good to earn playing time. |
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