Why Blue Jays fans should not worry about Alejandro Kirk transferring to 60-day IL

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Why Blue Jays fans should not worry about Alejandro Kirk transferring to 60-day IL originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Toronto Blue Jays are not exactly having the best season in 2026, as they're 26-29 and in third place in the AL East, 9.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the division lead.

While the offense has struggled a bit this season, the injuries to a few key players are holding this team back. One of those injured stars is catcher Alejandro Kirk. He's been working his way back, but there was a new update on Wednesday morning.

The Blue Jays announced that Kirk was transferred to the 60-day injured list. It's understandable if fans are worried about this roster move. But, Blue Jays fans shouldn't actually be worried about Kirk being moved to the 60-day IL.

Why Blue Jays fans shouldn't worry about Alejandro Kirk on 60-day IL​

While Kirk's placement on the 60-day injured list might seem like a bad thing, it's not actually anything to worry about. As Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports, Kirk is still on track in his recovery.

"Alejandro Kirk's goal is to start hitting off a machine this weekend and get into rehab by the time the Blue Jays get back home (June 5)," Bannon reports.

So, if Kirk is recovering just fine, why did the Blue Jays move him to the 60-day injured list? There is a reason for the move: 40-man roster manipulation.

By placing Kirk on the 60-day injured list, the Blue Jays will open a spot on the 40-man roster, allowing for one extra player to maintain a roster spot until Kirk is back.

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Another thing to keep in mind is that this 60-day IL transfer doesn't actually mean that, from the date of the move, Kirk will have to miss 60 days. He's already missed a lot of time, and this 60-day IL placement will factor in those days missed.

Kirk's recovery timeline hasn't changed with this roster move, as it's strictly procedural to best manage the 40-man roster.

Fans should not be worried about this roster move, as Kirk is still ready to come back in the near future, with a rehab assignment on the horizon for the beloved catcher.

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