Kevin Kiermaier, Toronto Blue Jays
When one thinks of the Tampa Bay Rays and names that have benn associated with the organization, one name that pops up is Kevin Kiermaier. For the last decade, he had been a staple in center field, making good defensive plays, pulling back home runs, or making a diving catch.
He was just a .248 career hitter for the Rays, but it always seemed like he could come up with a clutch hit late in a game to tie it or win it. He was what the Rays are now and have been, a dirt dog that plays the game hard and the right way. After an injury ended his 2022 season early, Tampa Bay decided to move and the Toronto Blue Jays swooped in and signed him to a one-year, $9 million guaranteed contract.
A three-time Gold Glove winner in Tampa Bay, he has settled in Toronto’s outfield and is playing the same type of defense he played with the Rays. At the plate, he is still the same type of hitter that works the count and can get on base in many different ways. He has three doubles, a triple, and a home run as part of his 22 hits. Spraying the ball all over the field is one of his strengths.
Kevin Kiermaier smacks a triple and the Blue Jays are rolling! 💥 pic.twitter.com/yVM11z4a5L
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 26, 2023
Toronto has one of the most explosive offenses in the league and they add Kiermaier who is perfect for their lineup offensively and defensively by the way he plays the game. This has the potential to be the biggest under-the-radar signing from over the winter.