TORONTO (AP) 鈥� Blue Jays outfielder and four-time Gold Glove winner Kevin Kiermaier said Wednesday night he intends to retire at the end of the season.
Now in his 11th season and second with Toronto after nine years with the Rays, Kiermaier is batting .191 with four home runs and 18 RBIs in 77 games. He signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Blue Jays last winter.
鈥淚鈥檓 more than happy,鈥� Kiermaier said after . 鈥淚鈥檓 at peace with my decision. The year is not over yet. Who knows what鈥檚 left in store?鈥�
Selected by the Rays in the 31st round of the 2010 draft, Kiermaier won Gold Gloves in center field in 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2023. He won the Platinum Glove Award as the AL鈥檚 best defensive player in 2015.
鈥淗e鈥檚 the ultimate professional,鈥� Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 meant a lot to this group. He鈥檚 probably one of the best center fielders of this era.鈥�
Years of diving catches and hard slides on the bases have not always been kind to the 34-year-old Kiermaier, who has played his entire home career on artificial turf.
鈥淧laying on this turf all these years, it鈥檚 beat me up,鈥� Kiermaier said, citing back and hip pain among the injuries he鈥檚 had to manage this season.
鈥淭rying to get ready each and every day is the hardest it鈥檚 ever been,鈥� he said.
Kiermaier and his wife are expecting their third child in December, and the veteran outfielder said he鈥檚 excited to be a full-time father for a while after he finishes playing.
However, Kiermaier also said he鈥檇 鈥渄efinitely鈥� be interested in a part-time coaching role if the right opportunity comes along.
鈥淚 would like to stay in the game in some capacity,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 sit here and joke around and say, 鈥業 want to be an outfielder whisperer one day.鈥� Outfield defense is what I know the best.鈥�
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