Blue Jays: Danny Jansen to IL, Alejandro Kirk Promoted

On Friday afternoon, ahead of a weekend series against the New York Mets, the Toronto Blue Jays announced that Danny Jansen would be returning to the Injured List.  In a subsequent move, the club has promoted Alejandro Kirk back to the team.

This will be the second stint on the IR this year for Jansen as he missed nearly a month in June with a hamstring injury.  Jansen returned to the team in early July and after struggling before his injury he appeared to be slowly turning things around at the plate.  After returning on July 4 in a back-up catching role he went 5 for 18 (.278) which included two home runs and a double.  Jansen had started six games since rejoining his teams and collected hits in five of them.

In his most recent appearance on July 21, Jansen struggled to leg out a double against the Boston Red Sox in the seventh inning and needed to be removed from the game.  The Blue Jays are reporting he has a right hamstring strain and he will be placed on the 10-day injured list.

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Kirk started the season with the big club, however was injured on May 1 and was placed on the 60-day injured list shortly after that with a left hip flexor strain.  Kirk joined the Buffalo Bisons at the end of June on a rehab start and it was recently reported that his rehab had ended, but the club had decided to keep him in Buffalo.  In 14 games with the Bisons, Kirk posted a slash line of .347/.393/.531 with five extra-base hits and 13 RBI.

It would appear the longer stay in Buffalo was more to do with the success of Reese McGuire this season over anything else.  Neither of Jansen or McGuire have options, which would lead to Kirk’s longer stint in Buffalo.  The 22-year old catcher will look to build on some early major league success that has seen him post a slash line of .281/.352/.516 over 26 career games.

When Jansen is healthy, what do you think the Blue Jays will do with their catching situation?