The Blue Jays sign Kevin Kiermaier

[Jays24]

Fifth outfielder lol. KK is our second best outfielder right now.

 

*3rd, which makes him a starter currently. Everyone saying he's our 4th/5th OFer is out to lunch lol.

[TheHurl]

30 posts and the word Dreamy has not yet appeared. f*** this board has gone to s***

[Sorrow]

He still paces 2.5 wins per season which makes him our 2nd best OF

[Jonn]

He played everyday for the Rays multiple years in a row and they did just fine

 

That’s not now though. He’s 33 and has likely lost a step. He doesn’t get on base or hit for any kind of power. Not exactly someone you want in the lineup everyday. He at the very least should never start against a left-hander. I still don’t like having a non contributing hitter in the lineup everyday.

[Terminator]

https://media.tenor.com/HuKTwW7kDj8AAAAC/kevin-kiermaier.gif

 

MRW Ross Atkins follows my advice and signs an elite defensive CF with dreamy good looks instead of that stoner Cody Bellinger and his .260 OBP

[Ehjays]

Blue Jays In Agreement With Kevin Kiermaier

By Simon Hampton | December 10, 2022 at 12:11pm CDT

 

The Blue Jays have an agreement in place with center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. The deal is pending a physical. It’ll be just the second team Kiermaier has played for, having spent ten big league seasons with the AL East rival Rays. He became a free agent for this first time after the Rays declined his $13MM team option for 2023.

 

Center field has been an area of need for the Blue Jays this winter, and they had previously been linked with Brandon Nimmo and Cody Bellinger.

 

The 32-year-old appeared in 63 games for the Rays last season, slashing .228/.281/.369 with seven home runs over 221 plate appearances. He’s always been known for his stellar defense in center field, and while that’s declined a bit in recent seasons he was still worth two Defensive Runs Saved there in 2022. The offensive production amounted to a below average wRC+ of 90, but his defensive work meant he was still worth 1.1 fWAR.

 

Injuries played a big part in Kiermaier’s 2022 season, as he landed on the IL in June with left hip inflammation. He was activated July 1, but by July 10 he was back on the IL with the same problem, which ultimately ended his season early. He’d wind up having surgery in August to address the labrum issue in the left hip, but the expectation at the time was that he’d be ready for spring training.

 

Kiermaier is a three-time Gold Glove winner that’s been one of the best center fielders in all of baseball for the past decade. Since his first full year in 2014, Kiermaier has been worth 147 Defensive Runs Saved, according to Fielding Bible. That’s the best of all outfielders and second overall behind Andrelton Simmons (who had 1,400 more defensive innings).

 

Despite 2022 being his worst defensive year of his career, it was still above average and there’s every chance his hip problem played a significant part in that. After all, just a year ago he was worth 13 DRS in 894 2/3 center field innings. He still ranked in the 93rd percentile in sprint speed and ranked well above league average in arm strength.

 

Offense has never been Kiermaier’s calling, and he owns a lifetime .248/.308/.407 line. That’s largely built off his early work, and since 2018 he’s put up a wRC+ of 79, 79, 94, 101 and then 90. There’s not a lot of power there (82 career home runs), and his strikeout rate has gradually ticked up to 27.6% in 2022 against a walk rate of 6.3%.

 

More to come.

[Virgil_Hiltz]

Nice upgrade from Zimmer, hopefully he's used the same way.

OMG....Zimmer gone???... 😀

Signing KK will automatically add 5 wins to the Jays since he seemed to single handily beat the Jays 5x a season.

[Jays24]

He still paces 2.5 wins per season which makes him our 2nd best OF

 

Does he? I see he's projected at 1.2 WAR

[glory]

The Dodgers were after Kiermaier as well, so I think it's probably going to end up a 2 year deal.

[JFD]

Another lefty bat that can't hit. Typical Atkins move. Well done.

[Jonn]

He still paces 2.5 wins per season which makes him our 2nd best OF

 

That speaks more to how bad the OF situation is more than him lol. I also don’t think that number is accurate.

[Jays24]

Another lefty bat that can't hit. Typical Atkins move. Well done.

 

Who's the best hitting lefty that Shatkins have acquired or developed during their entire era? I'm honestly drawing a blank here lol.

[Ray]

I like this move if they get Brantley as well.

 

Otherwise, meh.

[TheHurl]

2 years $21M with an option for a 3rd. $3M buyout so $24M on 2 years.

[agrushcow]

2 years $21M with an option for a 3rd. $3M buyout so $24M on 2 years.

 

That sounds about right to me. Good thing about KK is maybe you go to the trade market for more of a on the cusp CF of the future, and then you have good OF coverage. Really need a good cheap option out there as Springer gets into the later years of his contract.

[TheHurl]

I like this move if they get Brantley as well.

 

Otherwise, meh.

 

IMO any future OF moves will likely be minor league signings until June when they will decide if they want to enter the OF trade market. One thing KK has proved over his time in Tampa, is that he will never complain about a move which changes his role

[Terminator]

IMO any future OF moves will likely be minor league signings until June when they will decide if they want to enter the OF trade market. One thing KK has proved over his time in Tampa, is that he will never complain about a move which changes his role

 

Wow the guy is a team player too?

[Jays24]

Wow the guy is a team player too?

 

I can see him and Springer getting into a fight when KK calls him off for a routine fly ball lol

[wamco]

2 years $21M with an option for a 3rd. $3M buyout so $24M on 2 years.

 

Ouch. I don’t like 2/24 when I saw 1/6 b4 the season.

I’d rather just keep springer in cf/rf split with someone else.

 

Guessing Atkins is having trouble moving jansen

[glory]

I like this move if they get Brantley as well.

 

Otherwise, meh.

 

Yeah this move improves the team defensively but adding another bat that can hit towards the top/middle of the order is necessary. Either Conforto or Brantley next would be ideal. Then trade Jansen for the best SP you can get.

[L54]

Holy s*** 2/24 for KK? Brutal

 

Not a fan

[wamco]

2 years $21M with an option for a 3rd. $3M buyout so $24M on 2 years.

 

Guess or official?

[LGBJ29]

Mark down another W for The Sheriff. I tried telling all you Bellinger Fanboys that this would be the direction we’d go but none of you would listen.

 

Bellinger Fanboys coping so hard already lol. They would have no problem with his .260 OBP in the lineup everyday yet consider KK as only an upgrade over our 5th OF last year in Zimmer.

 

So glad Ross Atkins is running things here and does not care what the fans think at all.

 

MRW Ross Atkins follows my advice and signs an elite defensive CF with dreamy good looks instead of that stoner Cody Bellinger and his .260 OBP

 

Did Bellinger bang your wife or something

[L54]

Did Bellinger bang your wife or something

 

His dad actually

[Laika]

Holy s*** 2/24 for KK? Brutal

 

Not a fan

 

Seems about right in this inflated FA market. He projects for 1.2 wins and a win is probably $10M this free agency

[Jays24]

Well... we beat out of the Dodgers for his services so the price isn't going to be light. Always good to get a player that one of the best teams in baseball want too.

[G-Snarls]

I haven't liked hardly any of the free agent deals this offseason from team/dollars perspectives.

 

Don't mind the player in the right role but don't like this deal at all.

[Laika]

I’m guessing KK will be the CF starter but get hurt at least once and end up getting a 4th OFers helping of playing time each season.

 

He just fits the roster so well right now. Toronto almost had to make this marriage happen.

 

Fingers crossed for health and a big enough chip on his shoulder to feel like he has something left to prove in his career

[wamco]

Seems about right in this inflated FA market. He projects for 1.2 wins and a win is probably $10M this free agency

 

Like 1 war

In 200ab last year

[L54]

Like 1 war

In 200ab last year

 

True that’s a pretty good rate