Austin Voth Selected as Blue Jays Move Kirk to 60-Day IL
The Blue Jays selected austin voth from Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday and moved Alejandro Kirk to the 60-day injured list, a roster shift that puts a starter back into Toronto’s mix while formalizing Kirk’s long absence. Voth had already worked once for the club this season, and the move gives the team another arm after a run of pitching injuries.
Toronto Adds Voth, Sends Andrews Out
Toronto also optioned right-hander Tanner Andrews to Buffalo. Voth’s return came after he signed a minor league deal in March, then was called up once earlier this season before being passed through waivers and briefly electing free agency before re-signing on a new minor league contract.
In his only big league appearance this season, he allowed one run in 2 2/3 innings. Back in Buffalo, he made eight starts and posted a 2.90 ERA in 31 innings, with a 17.4 percent strikeout rate, a 6.8 percent walk rate and a 39.4 percent ground-ball rate.
Kirk’s Thumb Surgery Timeline
Kirk had already been out for nearly 60 days after thumb surgery in early April. He underwent surgery on April 6 and had a screw placed in his left thumb, with a rehab assignment not expected to begin until the following week before the roster move.
Moving him from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list does not restart his injured-list clock. Kirk was eligible for reinstatement on June 3, but Wednesday’s transaction simply matched the roster to the time he had already missed.
Blue Jays Rotation Pressure
The move fits Toronto’s battered pitching picture. José Berríos went down with Tommy John surgery last week, Dylan Cease landed on the 15-day injured list over the weekend with a hamstring strain, Max Scherzer has been out for a month with right forearm tendinitis and ankle inflammation, and Shane Bieber has not pitched this season because of elbow inflammation.
Cody Ponce tore his ACL in his first start back on a big league mound, and Bowden Francis had Tommy John surgery in February. With that group sidelined, Voth’s recent work as a Buffalo starter gives Toronto a pitcher who had gone five innings multiple times, including two of his past three starts, before getting the call.
