Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (30) is doused with ice water after his team defeated the New York Yankees in MLB baseball action in Toronto on Friday, June 12, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jon Blacker

By The Canadian Press

Jays get a huge lift from Okamoto’s monster shot, Kirk’s return to action

Jun 12, 2026 | 8:56 PM

TORONTO — On any other night, the monster home run from Toronto Blue Jays infielder Kazuma Okamoto hit into the fifth deck in the first inning would have dominated the post-game chatter.

But Okamoto’s 423-foot blast, the first since Josh Donaldson slammed one into the 500 level, took a back seat to the return of veteran catcher Alejandro Kirk on Friday night.

Kirk was back behind the plate for the first time since he suffered a fractured left thumb 62 games ago. He returned in style with a three-hit, two-RBIs and a walk in the Blue Jays’ (34-36) 8-5 series-opening win over the New York Yankees (41-27).

He also successfully challenged the first pitch tossed by starter Trey Yesavage that home-plate umpire John Tumpane incorrectly called a ball.

“Yeah, it’s pretty good,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “It’s kind of Kirky, like he doesn’t budge. First pitch, challenge, no biggie, double, single, single, walk. Yeah, he’s just steady. He’s one of one, man.

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“It’s great to have him back for a variety of reasons. The at-bats were great, but just having him back was great. You don’t really just expect a 3-for-3 night, and everything to be perfect. But I think getting some guys back just stabilizes a lot of things. It stabilizes things on the field and stabilizes things in the clubhouse.”

As Kirk walked to the bullpen for Yesavage’s warm-up session, there was a buzz at Rogers Centre. The fans who arrived early cheered the sight of the 27-year-old back in a Blue Jays uniform.

Then, when he came to the plate in his cleanup spot in the first inning, the sellout gathering of 41,596 rose to give Kirk an ovation.

“I heard every one of them,” he said. “I love the fans here.”

On the pitch challenge, Kirk said he wants to challenge any pitch he feels is a strike. Yesavage had his back turned and didn’t know his catcher had challenged the opening pitch until he heard the umpire announce the review.

“I’m glad he challenged it,” Yesavage said. “He’s a great pitch caller, and you saw what he can do on offence.”

At the plate, Kirk doubled to the left-field gap to score Ernie Clement in the first, singled in the third and fifth, knocking in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with the third hit. He walked in the seventh.

“I wasn’t trying to do too much,” Kirk said. “I was just trying to get on base.”

He was on base when Okamoto clubbed his fifth-deck shot for his team-leading 14th homer. It left even a slugger like Guerrero with his mouth wide open.

“I was the same,” Schneider said, referring to Guerrero’s reaction. “I was just hoping it was fair. You knew it was going far. You don’t see that very often, but that was about as pure as you can clip a slider and keep it fair. He’s got some big-time power, man.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2026.

Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press