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.

Torontos bats battered the Athletics for four games, hitting eight homers and driving in 39 runs.

Addison Barger launched a game-flipping homer in Sundays series finale, snatching the Blue Jays an 8-4 win and the teams 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: The other aspect of Alejandro Kirks defence Alejandro Kirk is one of baseballs best defensive catchers.

Hes tied with San Francisco Giants backstop Patrick Bailey atop Baseball Savants fielding run value at plus-eight.

Hes among the top 10 percentile in catcher blocking, caught stealing and framing.

But if you ask Toronto starter Kevin Gausman, theres an aspect of Kirks defensive game that doesnt get enough love.

I think theres one thing that nobody really talks about, Gausman said.

Its his ability to call a game.

He really has gotten so much better.

The issue with game-calling evaluation is its impossible to quantify.

Baseballs defensive metrics have come a long way in the last decade, but we still cant capture a catchers ability to deviate from preset game plans, read batters swings and earn the trust of pitchers.

Torontos 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.

Kirks catcher ERA is 3.99, just below the Blue Jays overall ERA.

Kirk has posted a catcher ERA below Torontos team norm in each of the last four seasons, but Heineman notices his teammates game-calling improvements in other ways.

More and more, Kirk will step out in front of the plate to give signs when hes really just giving his pitcher a needed breather.

Hes also getting faster at deciding on pitch choices with a clock counting down, Heineman said, and finding spots for mound visits.

Advertisement Its all just kind of a routine song and dance, Heineman said.

Hes 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 Jose Berrios as rotation staples for most of his career.

Familiarity with those three helped Kirk learn when his pitchers offerings are especially locked and when hes got to alter the plan.

We definitely think alike, and that wasnt the case early on, Gausman said.

Its been a nice, nice adjustment by him.

Navigating Andres Gimenezs return How do you change a lineup that averaged 4.85 runs per game in May? Schneider will be tasked with that decision with Andres Gimenez set to return from his quad injury Tuesday.

The Platinum Glove defender, who has missed Torontos 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 Torontos second- and third-best OPS in the last 15 days.

Before injury, Gimenez was Torontos least-productive hitter with at least 30 games played this year.

Gimenezs 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.

Thats more than George Springer and Nathan Lukes, two of Torontos 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 Gimenez enters that playing time rotation, especially if Barger and Clement keep raking.

Not a replay from Friday.

Not a replay from yesterday.

Addison Barger is HOT pic.twitter.com/FVdOCrYFfp 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 Gimenez and Clement.

Losing Varsho isnt ideal, as he led the team with eight homers, but the injury might simplify Schneiders lineup dilemma, for now.

Advertisement The home run problem For all the talk of finding homers in the Blue Jays lineup, a bigger issue for the 2025 team has been the ones theyve allowed.

Toronto has let up the third-most home runs in baseball before Sundays contest (81), behind just the Baltimore Orioles and the Athletics.

Torontos 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 MLBs 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 youre 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 its setting up those deliveries earlier or executing out pitches late, those are situations when Torontos pitchers should have an edge, not a homer.

(Photo of Jose Urena and Alejandro Kirk: John E.

Sokolowski / Imagn Images).

This article has been shared from the original article on theathleticuk, here is the link to the original article.