"My job to lose”: Kiermaier expects to play every day for Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays made fans a little antsy this offseason when it wasn’t quite clear what the team was cooking up.

After trading popular outfielder Teoscar Hernandez to the Seattle Mariners, it took nearly a month before Toronto added another position player to their lineup as a follow-up move.

Enter the signing of Kevin Kiermaier, with the move being made official today after being heavily reported earlier in the week.

Kiermaier had a batting average of .228 with 47 hits, 7 home runs, 22 RBIs, and 28 runs scored in just 63 games in 2022 with the Rays.

They’re hardly eye-popping stats, though he’s always been a bit more known for his defensive prowess, having three Gold Gloves on his mantle through his 10 seasons.

Kiermaier joins a crowded Jays outfield that features Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Otto Lopez, Nathan Lukes, Whit Merrifield, and George Springer.

While he’s spent the last decade on an American League East rival, Kiermaier wants to make one thing clear: he’s happy to be in Canada.

“HELLO TORONTO! HELLO Blue Jays fans!” a passionate Kiermaier tweeted out once the news was made official. “I’m glad I don’t have to contain my excitement anymore! I am beyond thrilled to be a part of this organization! I promise you I will care as much as anyone out on that field day in and day out! Cannot wait to get this going!!! I’m here to WIN!”

OFFICIAL: We’ve signed 3x Gold Glove Award Winner, Platinum Glove Award Winner, and Defensive Player of the Year Kevin Kiermaier to a 1-year contract.

Welcome, @KKiermaier39 aka The Outlaw 🤠 pic.twitter.com/QEnFBxkpCL

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) December 15, 2022

And you can’t say he’s short of confidence for his expectations — both individually, and as a team.

Kiermaier spoke on that today, as he added in a press conference that he’s looking to prove Toronto’s bet on him right — and that yes, it’ll end up being a good signing.

And as for the “day in” and “day out” part of the equation from his tweet? Well, he spoke on that too, saying that all his conversations with Toronto felt like he’d be in the starting lineup.

“I’m going to go out there and try to make [Blue Jays GM] Ross Atkins look like a genius. I want to be an everyday player,” Kiermaier told the media today. “Seems like it’s my job to lose.”

Well, that answers that question. Is it April yet?

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