Arden Zwelling

So this is like the Blue Jays still have a week to make this decision.

But there is an interesting one coming up with what they do at backup catcher between Tyler Heinemann and Brandon Valenzuela.

and obviously we pressed schneider about that yesterday and he basically just like threw up the smoke screen and listed all the variables without tipping his hand right yeah he mentioned he mentioned current performance he mentioned who would be the best fit for limited playing time he mentioned the thin organizational depth uh he mentioned just yeah how banged up people get at that position like he just mentioned all the factors so he really didn't um give us any sort of a lean

Tyler's dealt with back issues this year.

I will say that.

So that we know.

And there were like a couple games that he just missed outright earlier this year without going on the IL and he was just unavailable because or available only in case of emergency just due to those back issues, which it was kind of like the first time he was saying that he's dealt with that in his career.

That is a possibility.

If we put that aside, not to back you into a corner here, but let's say that there isn't an injury and there isn't a reason to put anybody on the injured list.

And if the Blue Jays had to make a decision between either optioning Valenzuela or designating Heinemann for assignment, what do you think the lean would be?

I think that would be the smart move, and I think that is what the Blue Jays would likely do because we still have 100 games to play, and catchers get hurt, and the Blue Jays' catching depth at AAA is rather thin.

Like, William McIver is atop that depth chart right now, and he's on the 40, which matters, and the Blue Jays liked him enough to go out and acquire him, but...

Again, this is not tremendous depth.

CJ Stubbs is injured.

William Simon is a guy who's there.

And then Aaron Parker's in AA.

And Blue Jays fans probably haven't even heard of any of these names.

So really, I think the smartest play, as much as it would suck for Valenzuela, who has like...

Really shown something.

Really shown himself as a capable big league catcher in his stage here with the Blue Jays.