The Blue Jays should make every attempt to bring back Kevin Kiermaier this offseason

As far as villain-to-hero redemption stories go, it doesn't get much better than Kevin Kiermaier's 2023 season with the Toronto Blue Jays.

After signing a one-year, $9M "show-me" deal, the former Tampa Bay Ray arrived in town as public enemy number one after a decade of tormenting Jays fans with his stellar defense and pesky bat.

Oh, and let's not forget the infamous card-stealing fiasco of 2021.

In a season that has been about as successful as a free agent in Kiermaier's situation — a 33-year-old coming off hip surgery — could imagine, he has endeared himself to the fans and his teammates and has turned out to be an indispensable piece of the 2023 Blue Jays.

However, with only weeks left in the regular season, the question looms: will Kiermaier return for an encore performance in a Blue Jays uniform, or will he be plying his trade elsewhere next year come Opening Day?

It's hard to imagine many fans not wanting to see ol' dreamy eyes back in Toronto, and for good reason. He would certainly be welcomed with open arms by the city, the country and his teammates.

But will the front office feel the same? Will Kiermaier want to come back for another run? Can the two sides agree on dollars and term for a player heading into his age 34 season?

Kiermaier has been a spark at the bottom of the lineup

Let's start with the most surprising part of Kiermaier's Jays tenure: his contributions to the offense. He's running a .269 batting average, a .327 on-base and a .430 slugging percentage — all better than his career averages of .249/.309/.409 and closer to what he did during his prime years in Tampa.

He has definitely held up his end of the bargain, hitting out of the nine-hole more often than not. His 35 RBI and eight home runs are more than satisfactory for a guy who said he wasn't interested in hitting homers. He has 13 steals, having been only caught once, and scored 54 runs for a team that has needed all the runs it can muster.

Among players with at least 250 plate appearances batting ninth, the left-handed hitting Kiermaier ranks second behind Atlanta's Michael Harris II with a 115 wRC+, a .278 batting average, a .779 OPS, 81 hits and 42 runs.

Can his bat be replaced? Sure. There's nothing absolutely staggering about his numbers. There's also no guarantee he'll repeat the same performance next season if he returns.

The Jays may be able to find a replacement bottom-of-the-order hitter and replace the stats. However, there are other elements besides the final numbers that make him a valuable piece of the offensive puzzle.

His speed (28.8 ft/s, 87th percentile according to his Statcast page) and baserunning IQ make him the perfect table setter for the top of the order. Not to mention his consistent and relentless hustle. On a team that has sometimes lacked urgency in the past, his approach to the game has been a breath of fresh air and a good example for his younger teammates.

Kiermaier's glove is still golden

From his spectacular Rogers Centre highlight-reel debut to his ability to make challenging plays look mundane, the fleet-of-foot Kiermaier has proven he still has elite defensive chops, and it doesn't look like he's slowing down anytime soon. Although, Father Time comes for us all eventually.

The three-time Gold Glove winner has been integral to the Blue Jays' identity as a defensively sound ball club, leading the way with 118 center-field appearances. His 16 Defensive Runs Saved above average (DRS) tops all qualified center fielders.

He's also among the outfield leaders with a 98th-percentile 12 Outs Above Average (OAA) and 11 Runs Above Average (RAA), keeping pace with youngsters Brenton Doyle, Luis Robert Jr. and Julio Rodríguez.

Toronto's outfield isn't just defensively sound; it's the cream of the crop and arguably the best in the majors. The combination of Kiermaier, Springer and Varsho has combined for a league-leading 41 DRS. For comparison, the Padres sit second with 20, while the Yankees are last at -25.

Can the Blue Jays afford to lose such a big piece of the defensive puzzle? Especially now that the front office seems hellbent on weaving the team's identity out of pitching and defense?

It seems like the answer should be a resounding "no." Simple, clean, done. Keep Kiermaier here for as long as possible, or at least as long as he can keep pace with the league.

There is a scenario, however, in which the response is "yes," and it's an easier answer to come to than you may think.