Blue Jays Trade Tyler Heineman to Angels

[Leo Morgenstern]

Last week, the Blue Jays designated Tyler Heineman for assignment when they activated Alejandro Kirk from the injured list. Today, they traded him to the Angels for cash considerations.

Heineman, 34, spent parts of the past five seasons with Toronto. In that time, he played 126 games over numerous stints with the Jays, hitting .242 with a .663 OPS, while consistently playing superb defense. He was a surprisingly important contributor to the 2025 AL pennant-winning team, enjoying an unusually productive season for a backup catcher.

While his defense in 2026 has been as excellent as ever, his offense has been poor. Considering Brandon Valenzuela's success on both sides of the ball, it wasn't surprising when the Blue Jays decided to DFA Heineman last Friday. However, considering how many times they have re-acquired Heineman in the past, it also wouldn't be surprising to see the journeyman backstop back in a Blue Jays uniform someday.

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[John_Havok]

I mean, we all saw this exact move happening, just didnt know which team he'd end up with. 

Objectively excellent defensive catchers with juuuuust enough stick to not be embarassing will always have a place in MLB somewhere.