Blue Jays put catcher Danny Jansen on injured list with broken right middle finger

Updated Sep. 2, 2023 8:14 p.m. ET

Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a fractured knuckle on his right middle finger.

Jansen got hurt when he was hit by a foul ball in the sixth inning of a 13-9 victory Friday night over the Colorado Rockies. He will receive a second opinion Wednesday, and manager John Schneider said he wasn't sure if Jansen would return during the regular season.

Colorado outfielder Kris Bryant fractured his left index finger July 22 and has not played since.

“It was kind of a freak accident, something that you can’t really control,” Jansen said. “It makes it a little bit easier to swallow, but it still stinks.”

Toronto began the night 1 1/2 games behind Texas for the final American League wild card.

Jansen is hitting .228 with career highs in homers (17) and RBIs (53) over 86 games, 73 behind the plate. He becomes the third Blue Jays regular to go on the injured list in the last week, joining All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette and Gold Glove third baseman Matt Chapman.

“It’s kind of next man up, and you have to keep moving on,” Schneider said.

Alejandro Kirk, hitting .257 with six home runs, will take over the primary catching duties, and Toronto recalled catcher Tyler Heineman from Triple-A Buffalo to fill the roster spot. Kirk has started 64 games behind the plate and 13 as the designated hitter.

Jansen missed two months in 2022 with an oblique strain and a broken pinkie.

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