After 12 seasons, four gold gloves and over 1,000 games played, Toronto Blue Jays centre fielder Kevin Kiermaier plans on retiring at the end of the season.
Kiermaier, a longtime Rays outfielder, told the Tampa Bay Times‘ Marc Topkin his decision as Tampa Bay is in Toronto for a three-game series.
“This is it, 2024 is it for me,” Kiermaier told Topkin before Wednesday’s game. “This next week will be very interesting (in terms of a potential trade). But this will be my last year playing.
“I’m going to give it my all the rest of the year regardless of what situation I’m in. But my body is talking to me now more than ever.”
Kiermaier, 34, is in his second season with Toronto after spending the first decade of his MLB career with Tampa Bay. Through 76 games in 2024, he is slashing .185/.239/.314 with four home runs and five stolen bases.
Despite his struggles, Kiermaier has still played excellent defence, posting seven defensive runs saved and eight outs above average, both of which rank among the best totals of MLB centre fielders.
Originally drafted in the 31st round of the 2010 draft by the Rays out of Parkland College in Illinois, Kiermaier has developed into arguably the best defender in baseball over the course of his career.
Despite battling injuries, no player has racked up more defensive runs saved than his 159 since his debut as a full-time major leaguer in 2014.
Offensively, Kiermaier owns a career .710 OPS with 94 home runs, 131 stolen bases and 59 triples.
Following Toronto’s 6-3 win on Wednesday, Kiermaier was asked by reporters about the decision to retire.
“I knew this was probably going to be my last year,” he said before referencing his conversation with Topkin. “I just told him the truth. This will be it for me. I have nothing to hide. I kind of envisioned that this was going to be my last year, and here I am with the way my body feels and with the state of our team, what our record is, just been doing a lot of reflecting lately.”
“When you know, you know. And I know my time, it’s coming,” he added.
The Blue Jays had placed Kiermaier on waivers earlier this month, giving teams across baseball to add his services, with the caveat that they would take on the remainder of his $10.5 million contract that he signed to return to Toronto.
While appearing on Sportsnet’s Blair & Barker Wednesday, Topkin discussed whether being waived influenced his decision at all to hang ’em up at season’s end.
“I think this has been brewing. He made it very clear in his comments… that his body is just (hurting),” Topkin said. “He said he can still play at a high level, but it takes so much work to prepare to be able to play at that level. He’s very excited to finish the season.
“Whether it’s here, whether he gets traded, either way. He’s excited to finish the season. He’s in the lineup tonight, but he said this is it, and he’s going to walk away from the game very proud.”
