Former fan favorite returns to Blue Jays as special assistant

Even though he was only with the Toronto Blue Jays for one-and-a-half season, Kevin Kiermaier left a lasting impression with both the Blue Jays and the city of Toronto as a whole. And while his departure for the Dodgers last season was a bittersweet moment for Blue Jays, there's no need to fret anymore, as the fan favorite is back with the Blue Jays.

Kiermaier, who played 12 seasons with the Rays, Blue Jays and Dodgers, is returned to the Blue Jays' front office as a special assistant. The move was first reported by Keegan Matheson of MLB.com.

“I am just thrilled. This is the dream job of a lifetime. I cannot wait,” Kiermaier said, per Matheson.

Former Blue Jays fan favorite and World Series champ returns to the organization 

Kiermaier spent parts of his past two seasons with the Blue Jays after signing a one-year, $9 million contract during the 2022-23 offseason, and then re-upping with another one-year, $10.5 million deal the following year. He played 211 games with the Blue Jays and hit .240 with a .673 OPS, along with 28 doubles, eight triples, 12 home runs, 54 RBI and 19 stolen bases. He also scored 82 runs.

More significantly, Kiermaier constantly wowed Toronto with his superb defensive play in the outfield on a daily basis. He only committed six errors over those 208 games in center field while registering a whopping 27 DRS and six outfield assists. In doing so, Kiermaier won the Gold Glove in 2023, his fourth career win.

This past season, he was dealt by the Jays at the trade deadline to the Los Angeles Dodgers to give him that one last chance at a World Series ring before his planned retirement. Sure enough, Kiermaier got the ring and then promptly announced his retirement as a player following the conclusion of the playoffs.

But in reality, it wasn’t just his play in the field that caught the attention of the Jays’ faithful. It was also his sincere care and dedication to the team, along with a genuine personality. In case there was any doubt, his thank you message to those that supported him says it all.

Now that he is back to share his wisdom and expertise while providing a foundation for the growth and development of the Blue Jays' outfield.