Opinion | Alejandro Kirk, Danny Jansen make catching a position built for two

No matter who gets the start behind the plate these days, the Blue Jays are in capable hands. One could even make the argument that no team in baseball has matched the numbers being put up by Toronto’s duo.

Alejandro Kirk and Danny Jansen have combined for all-star level production. When the rest of the team wasn’t hitting earlier in the year, Jays catchers regularly came through and they have shown no signs of slowing down now that the other bats are heating up.

Kirk came through again Saturday with a 2-for-4 performance that included a home run and a walk. His two-run shot in the third gave the Jays a lead they would not relinquish in a 12-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette also went deep in the win.

“That tandem, they’re the best in baseball right now when it comes to catching and swinging the bats,” Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. “(Kirk’s) got the one of the best approaches in baseball and that’s a lot to say, because there are a lot of good hitters in baseball, but he doesn’t strike out, he puts (the ball) in play, and he has good at-bats every time … He’s a good hitter already. He’s only going to get better.”

Jays catchers have combined to hit .278 with 10 homers and 22 RBIs this season. Their .866 on-base plus slugging percentage ranks first in the majors; their 27 strikeouts are the fewest. Only Atlanta’s catchers have more homers while only the Chicago Cubs have more doubles. Per Fangraphs’ wins above replacement, the Jays rank third behind the Cubs and Texas.

More importantly, the defence has been exceptional. Jansen gained the trust of his staff a couple years ago and has drawn praise for his game-calling and ability to block balls in the dirt. Kirk, once considered a defensive liability, has become a pitch-framing expert, ranking in the 90th percentile of MLB.

The production has been elite on both sides of the ball, and it seems to be only getting better as the year goes on. Kirk hit .347 with 10 extra-base hits, 11 RBIs and a .984 OPS in May. Jansen returned from an oblique injury in the middle of that month and proceeded to hit five homers across his first 10 starts.

“Danny and I, we have a great friendship,” said Kirk, whose team has won 13 of its last 17 games. “We’re enjoying our time right now, but we’re both doing a good job. Danny’s doing an excellent job offensively, I try to do my job. It helps to keep our legs fresh. It’s good, we both feel good right now.”

Eventually, the Jays won’t have any choice but to cash in one of their chips. Gabriel Moreno plays the same position and there won’t be room on the roster for all three once he’s in the majors. Someone will have to go and it almost assuredly won’t be the 22-year-old in Buffalo, the No. 7 prospect in the minors according to Baseball America.

Moreno’s power is down a bit this season following a promotion to the Bisons, but the rest of his numbers still look good. The native of Venezuela entered play on Saturday batting .318 with a .372 on-base percentage. If things were a bit different, Moreno’s play would justify a promotion, but the way things are going in the big leagues he’ll have no choice but to remain patient.

Moreno could make an impact in the second half if either Kirk or Jansen goes down with an injury, but he won’t be relied upon to be anything more than a fill-in until next year. That means the Jays will have the winter months to work out a deal while deciding who stays and who goes.

Trade proposals from other teams will have the biggest impact on which catcher gets dealt, but the return looks a lot more promising than it would have been even a couple months ago. Kirk hit .242 with a .764 OPS last season, respectable but not eye-popping numbers. This year, he’s batting .307 with an .839 OPS while displaying noticeably improved defence.

Kirk is just 23 and has four years of control remaining. There will be contending teams that inquire about him as an upgrade and there will be rebuilding clubs that want to make him a part of their future. In a sport where the league average for catchers is .218 with a .642 OPS, almost every team is looking for help at that position, the Jays excluded.

“He cares about himself, but also our pitchers and our team,” Jays starter José Berríos said of Kirk after limiting the Twins to a pair of runs across seven innings. “I’m happy when he has a game like that because I know he has been working so hard. I think it’s good for everyone. This team has been playing better lately. We want to continue that and keep rolling.”

It’s possible the Jays could look to make a move before the off-season but that seems unlikely because it’s rare for contending teams to trade a key piece while making a run. The catching position has been one of Jays’ biggest strengths. Kirk and Jansen have combined to form quite the platoon and if this lineup continues its recent turnaround, expect the two men behind the plate to be heavily involved.

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