The Blue Jays need to trade Kevin Kiermaier to a contender so he can chase a ring one more time

In a relatively short period of time, Kevin Kiermaier has gone from an enemy of the Toronto Blue Jays to a popular figure in their every day lineup.

Kiermaier, a long-time member of the division rival Tampa Bay Rays, joined the Blue Jays on a one-year deal prior to the 2023 regular season and promptly had the best offensive season he had had in years. He's always been known for his slick play in center field, but the bat was a much-needed bonus to last year's Jays.

In 129 games, he recorded 35 extra-base hits, stole 14 bases, sported a .741 OPS and had a 103 OPS+, putting his offensive output three percent above league-average. Most of these numbers he hadn't come close to since all the way back in 2019.

This year, Kiermaier's bat has cooled off considerably, to the point where he has already announced his intentions to retire at season's end. He remains an elite defender in the outfield grass, but the bat is virtually unplayable at this point.

With the Blue Jays headed for purgatory, they're reportedly interested in moving all players on expiring contracts. Obviously, this includes Kiermaier. Rather than holding on to him and continuing to be stuck in neutral, the Jays should do the right thing and flip him to a contender.

Across Kiermaier's 12-year career, he only has 31 games of postseason experience, including six in the 2020 World Series. He turned himself into one of the best center fielders the game has ever seen, earned stray MVP votes in 2015 and has secured 10 years of big league service time. The only thing he hasn't done is earn a championship ring.

Fortunately for Kiermaier, the Dodgers stand out as a club that could seriously use him on their roster. Center fielders on their team rank near the bottom of the league in most defensive categories, while Kiermaier himself ranks near the top of the leaderboards. He's not going to cost much, but there's certainly a trade to be made between the two clubs.

Since he's aging and not playing well, the cost is going to be very, very cheap for the filthy-stinkin-rich Dodgers to land Kiermaier. The Blue Jays, regardless of the fact that they won't get much in return, should do whatever they can to flip KK to a team with true World Series aspirations so he can go out on top. It's the right thing to do.