Tyler Heineman is heading to the Los Angeles Angels. But before he packed his bags, he left something for Toronto fans: a genuinely funny, heartfelt goodbye that captures just how weird his baseball career has been.
The 33-year-old catcher was traded from the Blue Jays to the Angels in a move that barely made a ripple on the transaction wire. But Heineman’s farewell message on social media? That’s the kind of stuff that sticks.
He spent five years bouncing around the Blue Jays organization. Except it wasn’t five straight years. It was more like a carnival ride.
“These past five years have been nothing short of incredible,” Heineman wrote. “From being a Blue Jay, to getting traded to the Pirates, to getting claimed again by the Jays, to getting claimed by the Red Sox, to once again get claimed by the Jays all in the span of three years was CRAZY! But every time I came back, I loved it more and more.”
That’s not hyperbole. The Blue Jays actually traded him to Pittsburgh in 2023. Then they claimed him back. Then Boston grabbed him. Then Toronto reclaimed him again. For a backup catcher, that’s a lot of U-Haul rentals.
Heineman originally signed a minor league deal with the Blue Jays in 2022. Over the years he played 126 games for Toronto. That’s more than double the games he played for any other franchise. The guy basically had a revolving door but kept ending up back in the same spot.
His numbers won’t blow you away
He hit .242 with four home runs and 30 RBIs in a Blue Jays uniform. Most of that production came in 2025 when he had three homers and 20 RBIs. He was also part of that Blue Jays team that made a run to the World Series.
But here’s the thing about career backup catchers. They don’t survive seven years in the big leagues because of their batting average. They survive because they can handle a pitching staff, block balls in the dirt, and call a game that makes the guy on the mound look good. Heineman’s longevity says more about his glove than his bat.
The fact that Toronto kept bringing him back — after two outright claims and multiple roster shuffles — tells you something too. The front office clearly liked what he brought. So did the clubhouse. The Blue Jays posted a tribute calling him “Clubhouse Magician” which is the kind of nickname that doesn’t come from stats. It comes from being the guy everyone wants around.
Now he heads to Anaheim to join an Angels team that’s trying to figure out its future. Heineman will likely serve as organizational depth behind the plate. He’s not going to change the trajectory of the franchise. But he’ll probably be a steady presence in Triple-A or a reliable call-up when somebody gets banged up.
And if history is any guide, don’t be surprised if he ends up back in Toronto someday. Stranger things have happened.
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