Blue Jays are trying to get rid of Kiermaier: report

The Toronto Blue Jays have decided to put struggling outfielder Kevin Kiermaier on revocable waivers, as first reported by New York Post‘s Joel Sherman.

https://t.co/1lnqUcZzNl The Blue Jays placed Kevin Kiermaier on revocable waivers, a sign of the direction they are taking.

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) July 11, 2024

The Blue Jays re-signed Kiermaier this past offseason to a one-year, $10.5 million deal. The decision to place him on revocable waivers is an attempt to see if there is any interest in him. Should a team put in a claim, the Blue Jays would be off the hook for roughly $4.5 million.

The odds of Kiermaier being claimed, however, are slim to none. The 34-year-old has always been known more for his stellar defensive play but has had some major batting issues this season. Through 70 games, he’s hitting a ghastly .183 with three home runs and 13 RBI.

This move suggests that the Blue Jays, unsurprisingly, will be sellers at the deadline. It also seems as though they will look to make some cuts in order to fall under the $237 million first luxury tax threshold. Any team above said threshold is subject to an increasing tax rate.

Despite being considered by most as a borderline playoff team entering the season, the Blue Jays have looked anything but through 92 games. They currently sit at a record of 42-50, making them 8.5 games out of a wild-card position.

The decision to place Kiermaier on revocable waivers is one of many complex moves Blue Jays management has been forced to make over the last month. They made the decision to designate Cavan Biggio and Daniel Vogelbach for assignment in June and recently cut ties with the organizations longest-tenured player, Tim Mayza.

With the trade deadline less than 20 days away, we could see far more Blue Jays transactions in the coming days and weeks.

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