TORONTO, ON - MARCH 27: Alejandro Kirk #30 of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Thursday, March 27, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Thomas Skrlj/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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The Toronto Blue Jays suffered a loss to the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, losing some of the momentum that the offense had been building and raising a significant question about the team’s ability to replace an injured star.
As the Blue Jays looked to rally against the Twins in the sixth inning, with the bases loaded and backup catcher Tyler Heineman up to bat, things took a poor turn. Heineman swung at the first pitch and hit a pop fly to shallow left field. He was promptly removed from the game and benched by manager John Schneider.
Afterward, Heineman told reporters he was being punished for poor execution.
"That at-bat was pretty trash,” Heineman said, according to MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson. “I popped up on a pitch I should have drove. I've been pretty crappy the past 10 games or so. He probably saw something he shouldn't have saw or that I did wrong. He made a decision."
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Ultimately, though, Heineman seemed to understand Schneider’s decision.
“I stick by it,” he responded, per Matheson. “He’s one of the best managers in the game and the best manager I’ve played for. He has a reason for everything he does and I fully support it.”
While Heineman’s support of Schneider’s decision can be appreciated, the Blue Jays will need some better results from the catcher position with All-Star backstop Alejandro Kirk still recovering from surgery.
Heineman has slashed just .176/.222/.176 in 51 at-bats as his replacement, while his fellow backup, Brandon Valenzuela has a .205/.255/.409 line in 44 at-bats. Though that slash line isn’t as strong as what the team is used to from Kirk, it does suggest that Valenzuela has more upside than Heineman and Sunday’s benching could be a sign that Schneider will be making a change in the primary backup to Kirk.
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“When Alejandro Kirk returns from a broken thumb, will the team stick with Heineman as backup or go with the rookie Valenzuela?” Rob Longley asked for the Toronto Sun. “Heineman’s struggles have only amplified how much the team has missed Kirk’s presence over the 27 games he’s been absent.”
Schneider’s lineups in the coming days could offer a big clue as to which backstop he considers to be the most valuable substitute for Kirk as he works his way back.
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