Danny Jansen can't catch a break, has new wrist ailment and will miss time

Danny Jansen will miss “a couple of weeks” with a broken bone in his wrist.

The injury was likely sustained when Jansen was hit by a pitch during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates this past Wednesday. With Jansen expected to miss about two weeks, that’ll lead right into the first series of the season against the Tampa Bay Rays. Triple-A Buffalo’s season will have started by then as well, so the chance of a rehab assignment is available should the Blue Jays deem is necessary for their star catcher.

In the meantime, expect to see a lot of Alejandro Kirk in the first week of the season. This scenario is familiar to Kirk, as he was the primary catcher down the stretch last season while Jansen was missing time with another hand related injury. 

Behind Kirk, the Blue Jays will be keeping a watchful eye on the depth catchers in camp who were previously thought to be ticketed for Buffalo. Brian Serven and Payton Henry have become more important players over night, as it’s now a foregone conclusion that one of them will break camp with the team. 

Serven has caught the attention of fans thanks to his big hits this camp, as he’s already clubbed three home-runs and is posting a 1.389 OPS over 16 at-bats. Serven is also considered an above average defender behind the plate, particularly in his framing capabilities. In 2022 Serven’s pitch framing placed in the 87th percentile in Major League Baseball.

Regardless of his replacement, missing Jansen for any amount of time hurts. A good game caller and an above average offensive player, Jansen is no stranger to hand related injuries. Jansen has had numerous stints in the Injured List at the expense of broken bones in his hand, whether it’s a result of a hit by pitch or a foul tip. 

If there’s a silver lining to all of this, it’s that this happened during spring training. Jansen will have time to rehab and recover without regular season games going on in the background. Both the Blue Jays and their fans are hoping for a quick recovery, as a full season of Jansen would be huge for an offence looking for a bounce back season.