Jonathan Aranda received a text in Spanish late in the morning. It contained a mysterious request: “Let me know if you hear about the All-Star team.”
The message came from deep within the Toronto Blue Jays’ clubhouse. Nestled in a hitters’ meeting filled with iPads and advanced reports on July 6, Alejandro Kirk found out he was returning to the midsummer classic. The catcher’s teammates exploded in the room as manager John Schneider broke the news. It’s the first All-Star Game he could attend with his 2-year-old daughter, Emilia, Kirk thought.
Then his mind drifted to a long-time friend and Tampa Bay Rays infielder. When the meeting ended, Kirk reached for his phone to text Aranda.
The two Tijuana natives began playing together when they were 4 years old, starting in Little League and travelling to national showcase games together before splitting off to sign with different franchises in the American League East. They see each other every winter and meet on the field as divisional opponents. But when Aranda found out he was selected for the AL All-Star team, a true reunion was set.
“I can’t believe this,” Kirk said through Blue Jays interpreter Hector Lebron. “Thinking about two little kids that have known each other for such a long time, played little leagues together, signed pro, made it to the big leagues, and now going to an All-Star Game together. It’s just unbelievable.”
GO FURTHER
Alejandro Kirk and Jonathan Aranda go from ballfields of Tijuana to All-Star Game