What to expect from newly acquired Toronto Blue Jays utility infielder Tyler Fitzgerald
Photo credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
The Toronto Blue Jays quietly added former San Francisco Giants infielder Tyler Fitzgerald to their roster on Saturday.
The move came just hours after the Toronto Blue Jays placed All-Star catcher Alejandro Kirk on the 10-day injured list.
In a mid-game announcement, Blue Jays broadcaster Dan Shulman confirmed that Toronto had acquired Tyler Fitzgerald from the Giants in exchange for cash considerations.
Immediately following the trade, the Blue Jays optioned Fitzgerald—who is in the final year of his minor league options—to Triple-A Buffalo.
The 28-year-old had been designated for assignment by San Francisco earlier this week after starting the season in their Triple-A system.
For a brief moment, it looked like the Giants had found a fourth round diamond in the rough.
During a scorching run in July 2024, he posted a 1.239 OPS with eight home runs and 15 RBIs in just 59 plate appearances, including the remarkable feat of hitting a home run in five consecutive games.
Tyler Fitzgerald's scorching run continues! He has 9 HRs in his last 14 games. 🤯
He finished that season with a .831 OPS, 15 homers, and 34 RBIs across 341 plate appearances.
However, his momentum stalled in 2025. After opening the season as San Francisco’s top second-base option, Fitzgerald suffered a rib fracture in early May.
His performance struggled upon returning, with his OPS dropping to .606 in 243 plate appearances, ultimately leading to another stint in Triple-A.
This year, Fitzgerald entered spring training further down the Giants’ depth chart and struggled in limited action, posting a .563 OPS over 38 Cactus League plate appearances before being optioned to Triple-A once again.
The Giants’ offseason acquisition of batting champion Luis Arraez at second base, alongside Matt Chapman at third and Willy Adames at shortstop, left Fitzgerald as the odd man out despite his versatility.
Fitzgerald provides the Blue Jays with a versatile utility player with MLB experience who can be shuttled between Toronto and Buffalo
For the Blue Jays, who recently lost infielder Leo Jimenez, Fitzgerald represents valuable depth.
While he hasn’t consistently graded well defensively at shortstop in the majors, he excels at second base and can also fill in at third or even the outfield corners.
Fitzgerald’s speed is another asset. Since 2023, he has stolen 28 bases in 36 attempts with the Giants, and his average sprint speed of 29.6 mph ranked in the 97th percentile of the majors last season, according to Baseball Savant.
By adding Fitzgerald, Toronto gains a versatile utility player with significant MLB experience who can be called up as needed, already being on the 40-man roster.
He will join a Triple-A Buffalo infield that features promising prospects Josh Kasevich and Josh Rivera, along with offseason acquisition Carlos Mendoza.
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Previously on Blue Jays Central
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 5|144 ANSWERS What to expect from newly acquired Toronto Blue Jays utility infielder Tyler Fitzgerald Do you think signing Tyler Fitzgerald was a good infield depth move for the Toronto Blue Jays? | ||
| Yes | 55 | 38.2 % |
| No | 25 | 17.4 % |
| Too early to tell | 64 | 44.4 % |
| List of polls | ||