Danny Jansen has been activated off the Injured List, Brian Serven optioned to Buffalo

Jansen, who was a top 100 prospect in 2019, broke out in 2022 when he slashed .260/.339/.516 with 15 home runs in 248 plate appearances for a 141 wRC+ and a 2.7 fWAR. He surpassed his career-high in home runs during the 2023 season, slashing .228/.312/.474 with 17 dingers in 301 plate appearances, but missed time with injuries after being hit by pitches numerous times.

Of course, that’s why he also missed the start of the 2024 season, as he was hit by a pitch and fractured a bone in his wrist. The good news is that he looked good in his four games with the Buffalo Bisons, where he slashed .308/.357/.615 with a homer and a double in 14 plate appearances.

With Jansen returning, this will also give Alejandro Kirk some rest, which in turn, will hopefully get his bat going. The 25-year-old is slashing .170/.259/.170 this season, with no extra-base hits and an 11.1 BB%. Moreover, in his 13 starts and 14 games played, he has 1 Defensive Runs Saved in 112 innings caught, far off the pace when he had 17 DRS in 775 innings last season.

Serven on the other hand, appeared in six games but has only started three of them. Like Kirk, he’s off to a rough start with the bat as he has yet to have a hit in 10 plate appearances, giving him a -0.1 fWAR early this season. Still, it’s nice to have a defence-first catcher remain in the organization, especially a guy with a little bit of pop.

Hopefully, with the return of Jansen, the Jays will be able to insert more pop while getting Kirk’s bat going with some rest.

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