Blue Jays Double Down on Run Prevention With Kevin Kiermaier, Isiah Kiner-Falefa Signings
Despite a quiet start to the off-season, the Toronto Blue Jays made their first notable free-agent signing on Tuesday, reportedly agreeing to bring back centre fielder Kevin Kiermaier, who initially joined the franchise last winter.
The 33-year-old will return to the organization on a one-year, $10.5-million contract, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, who broke the news. It’s a slight increase from the one-year deal worth $9 million he signed in December 2022.
Kiermaier’s contract is also expected to include performance-based incentives, per Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith.
After spending the first 10 seasons of his MLB career with the Tampa Bay Rays, the 31st-round selection from 2010 was let go by his former organization and ultimately joined the Blue Jays as a free agent. And he thrived with his new team, making a solid impression less than 12 months removed from season-ending hip surgery.
The Fort Wayne, Indiana, native played 129 games – tied for the second-most of his career – hitting eight home runs, 36 RBIs and .265/.322/.419 while posting a 104 wRC+. He also displayed zero signs of rust in the field, maintaining his reputation as an elite defender.
Of the 30 big-league centre fielders to log at least 500 innings last season, Kiermaier finished second in Defensive Runs Saved (+18) and tied for second in Outs Above Average (+13) in the majors, placing atop the American League in both categories.
As a result, Kiermaier captured his fourth career Gold Glove Award, his first since the 2019 campaign. He won consecutive Gold Gloves from 2015-16 and earned a Platinum Glove in ‘15 as the AL’s top defender.
The left-hander, worth 2.2 fWAR just one season after enduring an injury-shortened 2022 that consisted of 63 games, likely could have signed for more term and money if he landed elsewhere. Instead, he returns to a team determined to win their first playoff game since 2016.
Toronto made another move to improve its run prevention on Wednesday, as the club reportedly inked super utility player Isiah Kiner-Falefa to a two-year, $15-million contract that includes $1 million in performance bonuses, according to FanSided’s Robert Murray.
Kiner-Falefa spent the last two seasons with the New York Yankees, slashing .253/.311/.333 with an 84 wRC+ across 257 combined games, earning most of his value as a versatile defender.
The 28-year-old played six different positions (second base, shortstop, third base, all three outfield spots) during his time in the Bronx, seven if you include the four innings he logged as a mop-up pitcher in 2023. He’s also capable of catching, although he hasn’t caught since 2019 with the Texas Rangers.
It’s a bit of a curious signing by the Blue Jays, whose roster already oozes versatility with Cavan Biggio, Santiago Espinal, Davis Schneider and Ernie Clement, while also featuring a wave of prospects that includes Orelvis Martinez, Addison Barger, Otto Lopez, Leo Jimenez and Damiano Palmegiani.
That group, however, could be utilized as a primary trade asset to procure an impact bat or two. Not only would that path help address the club’s impending log jam, but it’d also improve a lineup that underperformed significantly a season ago.
Once the Kiermaier and Kiner-Falefa deals become official, the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster will consist of 39 players, leaving them with one open spot and plenty more work still to do.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @ThomasHall85
Photo: Arturo Pardavila III. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.