The 2024 season will be the final one of Kevin Kiermaier’s Major League Baseball career.
Kiermaier, whose MLB career began back in 2013, told the Tampa Bay Times last week that he was going to retire following the conclusion of the 2024 season.
“This is it, 2024 is it for me,” Kiermaier said. “This will be my last year playing. I’m going to give it my all the rest of the year regardless of what situation I’m in. But my body is talking to me now more than ever.”
Kiermaier said this while still with the Toronto Blue Jays. However, earlier this week, Kiermaier was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers just before Tuesday’s trade deadline. For Kiermaier, it’s an incredible opportunity, as he now gets a chance to play meaningful baseball in what will be his final year in the big leagues.
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Kiermaier was drafted in the 31st round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays. He appeared in just one game in 2013 before playing in 108 games in 2014 and 151 games in 2015.
Kiermaier was with the Rays through the 2022 season, before joining the Blue Jays in 2023. Now, he’s with his third team, the Dodgers, which will likely be his last.
Kiermaier has been one of the premier defensive outfielders in the league since he debuted. The Indiana native has four Gold Gloves across his 12-year career and one Platinum Glove, which he won in 2015.
While Kiermaier was known for his defense, he was no slouch at the plate. Kiermaier is a career .246 hitter with 94 home runs, 370 runs batted in, and an OPS of .709.
This year, the offensive numbers have dipped for Kiermaier. In 81 games (all with the Blue Jays), he slashed just .195/.236/.310 with four home runs, 18 RBIs, and an OPS of .546. He’s yet to play a game with the Dodgers.
The Dodgers definitely valued Kiermaier’s defense, though, and even in his age-34 season, he’s played above-average defense in center field. Kiermaier is in the 97th percentile in MLB with nine outs above average. His arm strength ranks in the 96th percentile.
The Dodgers have shuffled between center fielders this season, and none have provided good defense. So, Kiermaier will likely get ample time to roam the Dodger Stadium outfield and help his new team compete for the World Series.
Kiermaier has played a total of 31 postseason games across the 2013, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023 seasons. He’s appeared in one World Series, which his Rays lost to the Dodgers in six games in 2020.
Now, in his final year in the big leagues, he’ll get one more shot at securing that elusive World Series title.
The post MLB News: Veteran Dodgers Outfielder to Retire After 2024 Season appeared first on Newsweek.
