If Your Birthday is November 6th...

...you share it with Alexandro Kirk.  The Blue Jays catcher -- seen here in a 2024 Grapefruit League game against the Yankees in Dunedin -- missed more than two months this season with a fractured a thumb that required surgery.  Still, he was a ray of hope in a down year for Toronto.  He belted 10 homers in 78 games and provided strong on-field leadership.  And he enjoys sharing a surname with that famous fictional astronaut -- he doesn't mind if you call him "Captain" and is often referred to that way by his Blue Jays teammates.

Also in today's birthday circle:

  • Adam LaRoche: The son of former big league pitcher Dave LaRoche spent a dozen seasons in the majors, playing first base for the Braves, Pirates, Diamondbacks, Nationals and White Sox. His 255 home runs are the most for anyone born on this date.
  • John Candelaria ranks among the most prolific pitchers ever born in New York City. The Brooklyn native made his mark in Pittsburgh during the mid 1970s, highlighted by a 20-win season in 1977. He later played for seven other clubs, including both New York and L.A. teams and retired with a 177-122 career record.
  • James Paxton made history on May 8th, 2018, when, as a Mariner he no-hit the Blue Jays at Rogers Center, becoming the first Canadian major leaguer to throw a no-hitter in Canada.


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