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Blue Jays catcher Kirk named to all-star game
TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk didn’t want to make any assumptions about being named to the American League roster for next week’s All-Star Game in Atlanta.
The Toronto Blue Jays catcher found out in the clubhouse during a hitter’s meeting before Sunday’s 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels when Toronto completed its three-game sweep of the visitors. The honour meant a good deal to Kirk, whose previous all-star appearance was in 2022.
“I had an idea, but I didn’t want to get too emotional until I knew it was going to be official,” said Kirk through a translator in the Blue Jays dugout at Rogers Centre.
“It was obviously very emotional the first time around, but I think this was going to be more special because I’m going to go with my daughter.”
Kirk’s wife Sofia gave birth to their daughter in February 2023.
Toronto manager John Schneider could have relayed the good news to Kirk earlier on Sunday morning when the two had a one-on-one conversation. Instead, he waited until the Blue Jays lineup was engaged in their hitters’ meeting.
“I told them two things: that the dome was closed and that Alejandro Kirk was an all-star, which is pretty awesome and so well deserved,” Schneider said in his post-game news conference.
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Kirk is batting .301 with seven homers and 41 runs batted in this season. Kirk’s average is 11th in MLB and second among catchers behind Will Smith (.332) of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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He will join teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr., named an AL starter for the fourth time on Wednesday, at Truist Park on July 15.
Kirk’s first all-star appearance was in 2022 when he finished the season with a .285 average and 14 homers. The 26-year-old has a .270 career average with a total of 43 homers over six seasons, all with Toronto.
Schneider has watched his catcher develop from a raw talent to one of the game’s best all-around players behind the plate in five years.
“I remember in 2020, him coming up, we were literally writing down on his wristband what pitchers threw,” Schneider said.
“To watch his growth is pretty cool. To watch the pitchers’ trust grow in him is pretty cool. And what he’s doing offensively, one of the best in the league.”
Kirk credited work on his mental approach as well as the physical aspects for his return to the ASG. His health also has been a factor.
“I consider myself a complete hitter right now, more than in prior years,” said Kirk. “I tried to hit too many homers. I’m not considering myself a home run hitter anymore.
“This year, I wanted to be a complete hitter to hit the ball the other way, trying to get runners in, find a way to help the team win.”
Schneider admired Kirk’s work ethic in returning to the form he exhibited in 2022. The Toronto manager also noted Kirk has a laid-back and different personality.
“He’s a unicorn. He’s one of one,” Schneider said. “In 2022, he turned a lot of heads in 2022. After a couple of tough years, he understands what he needs to do to be great in the box and he has put in the work.”
Kirk, who signed a US$58-million, five-year extension in spring training, played in his 75th game on Sunday. He only suited up for 103 last year and is on pace to reach his career-high of 139 outings in 2022.
“I’m doing everything I can to help the team win,” Kirk said. “I’m very happy and I’m feeling great right now.”
With the Blue Jays’ recent ascension to the top of the American League East, Kirk hopes he can arrive in Atlanta next week in first place.
“It feels great being in first place,” Kirk said. “You can feel it in the clubhouse. The vibes are great. Everybody is competing, going out there doing everything they can to win a game.”
“It’s awesome to be in first place.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
TORONTO – Blue Jays slugger George Springer has been cleared to return to game action after suffering a concussion over two weeks ago, Toronto manager John Schneider said Wednesday.
The 35-year-old outfielder/designated hitter hasn’t played since July 28 when he was hit in the helmet by a fastball thrown by Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kade Strowd.
Springer, who was on hand for batting practice before Toronto’s game against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night, was expected to play for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Thursday.
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“Play DH tomorrow and then see if he needs a game in the outfield to see how he feels,” Schneider said in his pre-game availability. “But he’ll be doing that tomorrow.”
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Springer has been one of the top offensive performers this season for the Blue Jays (70-50), who had a 4 1/2-game lead on the Boston Red Sox in the American League East standings entering play Wednesday.
Over 101 games, Springer has a .291 average, 18 homers, 57 RBIs and an on-base and slugging percentage of .889.
Strowd’s 96-m.p.h. pitch appeared to hit Springer’s shoulder before making contact with his helmet near the ear flap. After laying prone for a moment or two, Springer got up slowly and left the field with some assistance.
He was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list on July 29.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
Two delightfully shaggy new faces will be on display at the Toronto Zoo starting on Friday.
The nine-month-old brothers are Scottish Highland cattle, with long, woolly, reddish coats and fringe over their eyes.
The zoo’s manager of wildlife care, Marc Brandson, says the two were born and raised at a local Ontario farm before moving to the zoo about a month ago.
He says they completed a quarantine period and now live just outside the Eurasia Wilds area of the zoo.
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Membership holders can visit the brothers at a pre-screening on Thursday, while other visitors can see them starting Friday.
Brandson says there is “a lot of excitement” around the pair because of how popular the Highland breed already is.
He says the zoo is hoping to have the brothers walk through the public area of the zoo as part of its animal ambassador program, which can give visitors a closer look at certain animals.
“Each and every day, our outreach and discovery staff are working to get them to that level,” he said.
“Having a bonded pair is a really great social situation for Highland cows. These brothers are very calm and they are gaining confidence each and every day that they interact with their caregivers.”
The brothers don’t have names yet, and Brandson says the public should stay tuned on ways to contribute naming ideas.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner says the federal government needs to do more to fight Canada’s devastating forest fires.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday in Ottawa, the Alberta MP accused Ottawa of “inaction” on wildfires. She also blamed that lack of action for new measures restricting activities in the forests of two provinces — even though those bans were imposed by the provinces themselves.
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick last week banned hiking, fishing, camping and the use of vehicles in its forests in response to the heightened wildfire risk.
Rempel Garner said that while she understands the fear Maritimers feel, restricting individuals’ movements is “not right.”
“Whenever there’s a major crisis, what the Liberal government has done by their inaction has conditioned Canadians to expect that the only response they can see out of their federal government is to restrict their movement,” Rempel Garner told reporters.
“We’re calling on the federal government to actually get serious about this issue.”
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Conservative MP Marc Dalton presented a bill last year to stiffen penalties for wildfires caused by arson. It never made it past first reading and died when Parliament was dissolved ahead of this year’s election.
Rempel Garner said that’s one area where the Liberals could have taken action on wildfires. She also called on the federal government to dedicate more resources to wildfire control.
In its 2021 election platform, the Liberals promised to train 1,000 community-based firefighters to fight wildfires and to work with provinces and territories to get them more firefighting planes.
Last month, Ontario Premier Doug Ford told reporters that Alberta-based water bomber manufacturer De Havilland was facing a four-year backlog of orders.
“Four full wildfire seasons ago, the Liberals promised more water bombers, more firefighters,” Rempel Garner said. “Where are they?”
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston brushed off the criticisms of the forest entry ban at a press conference later Wednesday.
“I find it remarkable, the interest in travelling in Nova Scotia woods by people who aren’t in Nova Scotia and probably haven’t been here much in their life,” Houston told reporters.
“We’re only concerned with keeping people safe. We’ll do what’s necessary to protect lives, and that’s what we’re doing in this case.”
So far this season, the total area of the country burned by wildfires is nearly the size of the entire province of New Brunswick.
— With files from Sarah Ritchie.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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