TORONTO — As Jose Berrios walked as much as the rostrum in the media convention room at Rogers Centre on Wednesday morning, he turned to the gathering of reporters and cracked a joke.
“You see what Kirk did? He introduced all of you right here,” Berrios mentioned with a smile.
The Toronto Blue Jays right-hander was referring to teammate Alejandro Kirk, who simply minutes earlier than addressed media for the primary time since signing a five-year, $58-million contract extension on Tuesday.
In fact, the explanation for the meeting of cameras and recording gadgets was that the Blue Jays have been holding their exercise day forward of Thursday’s season-opener in opposition to the Baltimore Orioles. Nonetheless, it was additionally a day in which Kirk was in the spotlight.
Kirk mentioned signing the contract was a “particular second” for him and his spouse, daughter and fogeys, who have been all in Toronto for the event.
“It is one thing that is very particular,” Kirk mentioned by means of interpreter Hector Lebron. “I am feeling very excited in regards to the contract, however my fundamental aim for now’s simply to win. That is my mentality. Attempt to be in the playoffs yearly.”
Kirk, who the Blue Jays signed out of Mexico as an newbie free agent in 2016, is coming into his sixth major-league season however the first in which he is anticipated to be the first catcher and never a part of a timeshare behind the plate. He mentioned conversations with the membership about an extension started in spring coaching as soon as the Grapefruit League schedule had begun.
“It is one thing that you just all the time need, particularly with the workforce that indicators you,” mentioned Kirk. “It was just a little little bit of a shock. I wasn’t anticipating it, to let you know the reality.”
The 26-year-old entered the majors as an offence-first contributor however has since labored diligently to develop into one of many stronger defensive catchers in the game. Since 2022, Kirk leads all MLB catchers with 39 defensive runs saved and final yr, his pitch framing ranked in the 93rd percentile.
Kirk loved his finest yr as a hitter in ’22, when he posted a 127 OPS-plus and gained a Silver Slugger award. He regressed offensively in 2023 and ’24 — combining for 13 dwelling runs and a 93 OPS-plus throughout these two seasons — however the Blue Jays really feel assured that Kirk can reverse that pattern. His potential to make contact has all the time remained sturdy and Kirk did impress onlookers throughout spring coaching.
Past the sphere, although, the group has been impressed with the expansion that Kirk has displayed behind the scenes.
“He has proven that he cannot solely be elite on the sphere, however elite in the clubhouse,” mentioned Blue Jays supervisor John Schneider. “Incomes the belief of gamers and he is closely concerned with game-planning. There’s lots on his plate. I want everybody might stroll by means of his day — it is lots.
“It is each single assembly after which getting your self prepared for the sport. So, he is actually moved the needle ahead in that space.”
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Schneider lauded Kirk’s communication and management and says that after the membership traded longtime catcher Danny Jansen final July, Kirk took possession of his new function because the clear No. 1.
“Once you’re in a timeshare — for a few years it was with [Jansen] or [former Blue Jays catcher Gabriel Moreno], whoever it was — you go about it maybe just a little bit totally different,” mentioned Schneider. “You are not as assertive in sure areas. Going again to final yr, [Kirk] took a step ahead in that understanding. It was in all probability after we traded Jano and it was, ‘OK, that is my workforce.'”
Kirk spent two months on the Blue Jays’ participant improvement complicated previous to spring coaching in order to higher put together himself for the marketing campaign. He pointed to that additional work and mentioned he feels higher “bodily and mentally” than he did throughout his all-star season in 2022.
His teammates have taken discover.
“He been working actually, actually laborious to attempt to keep in form, wholesome and robust on the market to compete and win ballgames,” mentioned Berrios, who will take the mound on Thursday with Kirk as his batterymate. “I am glad and I am pleased with him.
“Now it is time to get pleasure from that,” added Berrios. “But additionally, I do know he will preserve centered and proceed working laborious to attempt to get higher on a regular basis.”
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