Alejandro Kirk opens up on emotions after $58,000,000 deal with Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays are going to have some big decisions to make this upcoming season. The club is coming off a disasterous 2024 campaign which saw the club fail to secure a postseason berth, leaving many questioning what direction the franchise might be heading in 2025.

The team has a number of core members of the roster in need of extensions, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. That being said, there is one name that can be taken off that list as the Toronto Blue Jays and catcher Alejandro Kirk reached an agreement on a five-year, $58,000,000 extension.

At only 26 years old, Alejandro Kirk has shown his elite upside in the Majors, earning an All-Star selection in 2022. While he has struggled a bit in recent seasons, keeping Kirk on the roster not only provides some stability at the postion moving forward for the Jays but also security for the catcher himself.

Following the depatures of other catchers such as Danny Jansen and Gabriel Moreno in both fee agency and the trade market, the deal allows Alejandro Kirk to continue to cement himself as the team's number one catcher. According to Blue Jays insider Keegan Matheson, Kirk was thrilled about the extension, stating his desire to remain with Toronto to the long-term.

“I never thought about free agency. All I wanted to do the whole time was too just be here. I was waiting all along for that extension and I’m just happy. Very happy," Kirk said through his interpreter.

Kirk struggled from an offensive standpoint in 2024, posting a disappointing .253 batting average with only 5 home runs and a career-worst .677 OPS. That being said, he was one of the top defensive catchers in baseball last season. According to Baseball Savant, Kirk finished fourth in MLB in terms of pitch framing and third in catcher's caught stealing average.

“My goal is to win. That’s my mentality. To be in the playoffs every year. Win," Kirk continued.

The Toronto Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. contract saga could weigh over the season if not settled

Now that Alejando Kirk's extension has been finalized, the Toronto Blue Jays could continue to shift their focus to re-signing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The superstar first baseman and the club have been in discussions for much of the offseason with Vladdy reportedly rejecting an extension worth roughly $500 million earlier this spring.

Despite rejecting the offer, Toronto president Mark Shapiro has expressed his confidence in a deal getting done. It wil be interesting to see what kind of contract Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will sign either with the Blue Jays or another club in free agency, however, it's clear that it will clear the $500 million threshold.