(Toronto) Toronto Blue Jays center fielder and four-time Gold Glove winner Kevin Kiermaier said Wednesday night he plans to retire at the end of the season.
Kiermaier, who is in his 11th yeare season in the major leagues and his second with the Blue Jays, is hitting .191 with four home runs and 18 RBIs in 77 games this season. He signed a one-year, $10.5 million pact with the Blue Jays last winter.
“I’m very pleased,” Kiermaier said after a 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. “I’m comfortable with my decision. The year’s not over yet. Who knows what’s going to happen between now and then?”
Selected by the Rays in 31e A first-round pick in the 2010 Major League Draft, Kiermaier won Gold Gloves in center field in 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2023. He also won the Platinum Glove, awarded to the American League’s best defensive player, in 2015.
“He’s the gold standard as a professional player,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “He’s a huge part of this locker room. And he’s arguably one of the best center fielders of his generation.”
Kermaier, 34, has played his entire major league career at home on artificial turf, and years of sliding and diving on that surface have taken a toll on his body.
“It took a toll on me, playing on artificial turf,” Kiermaier said, noting that he’s been dealing with back and hip injuries this season.
“It’s never been so difficult to prepare myself every day for the next match,” he added.
Kiermaier and his wife are expecting their third child in December, and the veteran said he’s looking forward to becoming a full-time father.