Latest news with #TylerHeineman
National Post
a day ago
- General
- National Post
Blue Jays reinstate Gimenez, Heineman before series opener against Phillies
The Toronto Blue Jays reinstated second baseman Andres Gimenez and backup catcher Tyler Heineman before Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Article content Gimenez missed about four weeks due to a right quadriceps strain while Heineman was out for over a week due to a concussion. Both players were active for the opener of the three-game series at Rogers Centre. Article content Article content Article content Manager John Schneider also provided updates on a number of injured players during his pre-game media availability. — Right-hander Max Scherzer, who has made one start this season due to a thumb issue, threw a 37-pitch live bullpen session Tuesday. The next step will likely be a three-inning/50-pitch appearance Sunday in a simulated game or a Florida Complex League game. — Outfielder Anthony Santander (shoulder) had a platelet-rich plasma injection Monday and will likely need at least five days before he resumes throwing activity. Article content Article content — Right-hander Nick Sandlin (lat strain) and infielder Will Wagner (foot) made appearances in an FCL game Tuesday. Article content — Right-hander Alek Manoah (elbow) has been throwing bullpen sessions at the team's development complex in Florida. He hopes to progress to a live bullpen session over the next week. Article content — Right-hander Yimi Garcia (shoulder) played catch on flat ground and right-hander Ryan Burr (shoulder) was feeling better after a cortisone injection. Article content
CTV News
a day ago
- General
- CTV News
Blue Jays reinstate Gimenez and Heineman before series opener against Phillies
Toronto Blue Jays infielder Andres Gimenez (0) rounds second base after sliding during a baseball game against the Houston Astros on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays reinstated second baseman Andres Gimenez and backup catcher Tyler Heineman before Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Gimenez missed about four weeks due to a right quadriceps strain while Heineman was out for over a week due to a concussion. Both players were active for the opener of the three-game series at Rogers Centre. Manager John Schneider also provided updates on a number of injured players during his pre-game media availability. — Right-hander Max Scherzer, who has made one start this season due to a thumb issue, threw a 37-pitch live bullpen session Tuesday. The next step will likely be a three-inning/50-pitch appearance Sunday in a simulated game or a Florida Complex League game. — Outfielder Anthony Santander (shoulder) had a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection on Monday and will likely need 5-7 days before he resumes throwing activity. — Right-hander Nick Sandlin (lat strain) and infielder Will Wagner (foot) made appearances in an FCL game on Tuesday. — Right-hander Alek Manoah (elbow) has been throwing bullpen sessions at the team's development complex in Florida. He hopes to progress to a live bullpen session over the next week. — Right-hander Yimi Garcia (shoulder) played catch on flat ground and right-hander Ryan Burr (shoulder) was feeling better after a cortisone injection. — There was no update on centre-fielder Daulton Varsho, who's week-to-week with a left hamstring strain. Also Tuesday, infielder Michael Stefanic and catcher Ali Sanchez were designated for assignment. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2025. The Canadian Press
CTV News
a day ago
- General
- CTV News
Blue Jays reinstate Gimenez and Heineman before series opener against Phillies
Toronto Blue Jays infielder Andres Gimenez (0) rounds second base after sliding during a baseball game against the Houston Astros on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke) TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays are reinstating second baseman Andres Gimenez and catcher Tyler Heineman after stints on the injured list. Both players will be active for tonight's game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Rogers Centre. The team is also designating infielder Michael Stefanic and catcher Ali Sanchez for assignment. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2025. The Canadian Press
Global News
a day ago
- General
- Global News
Blue Jays reinstate Gimenez, Heineman
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays are reinstating second baseman Andres Gimenez and catcher Tyler Heineman after stints on the injured list. Both players will be active for tonight's game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Rogers Centre. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The team is also designating infielder Michael Stefanic and catcher Ali Sanchez for assignment. Story continues below advertisement This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2025.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Three Blue Jays takeaways: Alejandro Kirk's underrated improvement, lineup decisions, more
TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays flipped the circuit breaker and brought the power back. Toronto's bats battered the Athletics for four games, hitting eight homers and driving in 39 runs. Addison Barger launched a game-flipping homer in Sunday's series finale, snatching the Blue Jays an 8-4 win and the team's first four-game sweep of the season. The Jays moved to 29-26 on the season, sitting three games over .500 for the first time since April 19. Advertisement Here are three Blue Jays takeaways before Toronto tries to keep the power coming against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday: Alejandro Kirk is one of baseball's best defensive catchers. He's tied with San Francisco Giants backstop Patrick Bailey atop Baseball Savant's fielding run value at plus-eight. He's among the top 10 percentile in catcher blocking, caught stealing and framing. But if you ask Toronto starter Kevin Gausman, there's an aspect of Kirk's defensive game that doesn't get enough love. 'I think there's one thing that nobody really talks about,' Gausman said. 'It's his ability to call a game. He really has gotten so much better.' The issue with game-calling evaluation is it's impossible to quantify. Baseball's defensive metrics have come a long way in the last decade, but we still can't capture a catcher's ability to deviate from preset game plans, read batters' swings and earn the trust of pitchers. Toronto's second catcher, Tyler Heineman, said he looks at ERA and strikeout-to-walk ratios with catchers behind the plate to evaluate game calling but laments the lack of a definitive metric. Really, those numbers speak more to the talent of a pitching staff than the calling of a catcher. Internally, the Jays assess game calling with 'after-action reports,' manager John Schneider said, going back over pitch choices to understand why calls were made and whether they were justified. Kirk's catcher ERA is 3.99, just below the Blue Jays' overall ERA. Kirk has posted a catcher ERA below Toronto's team norm in each of the last four seasons, but Heineman notices his teammate's game-calling improvements in other ways. More and more, Kirk will step out in front of the plate to give 'signs' when he's really just giving his pitcher a needed breather. He's also getting faster at deciding on pitch choices with a clock counting down, Heineman said, and finding spots for mound visits. Advertisement 'It's all just kind of a routine song and dance,' Heineman said. 'He's doing a fantastic job at, like, learning and getting better.' For Gausman, the improvement manifests when Kirk turns to the PitchCom transmitter on his knee. Kirk has caught 367 games for the Jays over the last five years, with Gausman, Chris Bassitt and José Berríos as rotation staples for most of his career. Familiarity with those three helped Kirk learn when his pitchers' offerings are especially locked and when he's got to alter the plan. 'We definitely think alike, and that wasn't the case early on,' Gausman said. 'It's been a nice, nice adjustment by him.' How do you change a lineup that averaged 4.85 runs per game in May? Schneider will be tasked with that decision with Andrés Giménez set to return from his quad injury Tuesday. The Platinum Glove defender, who has missed Toronto's last 23 games, will return in a regular role, Schneider said, likely eating into the playing time of Barger and Ernie Clement. But those infielders have been two of the Blue Jays' top bats, posting Toronto's second- and third-best OPS in the last 15 days. Before injury, Giménez was Toronto's least-productive hitter with at least 30 games played this year. Giménez's fielding value will keep him in the lineup. Despite hitting just .195 before his quad injury, the former Cleveland Guardians infielder still posted 0.8 bWAR in just 36 contests. That's more than George Springer and Nathan Lukes, two of Toronto's best bats, have compiled all season. The solution is likely a platoon of sorts. Clement crushes lefties, hitting .388 with a 1.161 OPS against southpaws this season, making him a natural partner for lefty-hitting Barger at third base. The tough call for Schneider will be how often Giménez enters that playing time rotation, especially if Barger and Clement keep raking. Not a replay from a replay from yesterday. Addison Barger is HOT 🔥 — Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 1, 2025 There is the chance to get all three in the field, though, with Daulton Varsho hitting the injured list Sunday with a left hamstring strain. Lukes will likely slide into center field against right-handed pitchers, and Springer could move to DH, leaving room for Barger to start in right. The open infield spots then belong to Giménez and Clement. Losing Varsho isn't ideal, as he led the team with eight homers, but the injury might simplify Schneider's lineup dilemma, for now. Advertisement For all the talk of finding homers in the Blue Jays' lineup, a bigger issue for the 2025 team has been the ones they've allowed. Toronto has let up the third-most home runs in baseball before Sunday's contest (81), behind just the Baltimore Orioles and the Athletics. Toronto's five most-used pitchers this year have all allowed more than 1.1 home runs per nine innings. There is an element of chance, as the Blue Jays' 13.8 percent home runs-per-fly-ball rate is 5 percent above league average. But the Jays have also allowed MLB's seventh-highest hard-hit rate, suggesting it might be more than just rotten luck. Most teams let up the majority of dingers on fastballs, but the Blue Jays have allowed nearly half on offspeed and breaking stuff. The team is focused on better fastball usage to set up those other pitches — keeping hitters off the secondary scent. It also comes down to execution, Schneider said, and not 'taking any pitches off.' 'Sometimes it could be a 0-0 breaking ball you're trying to get into the zone,' Schneider said. 'You got to put it where you want it, and then you got to put your fastball where you want it.' Blue Jays pitchers have allowed the most homers off secondary pitches when ahead in the count. Whether it's setting up those deliveries earlier or executing out pitches late, those are situations when Toronto's pitchers should have an edge, not a homer. (Photo of José Ureña and Alejandro Kirk: John E. Sokolowski / Imagn Images)
