One of Kiermaier's most notable attributes is his defensive prowess, which has earned him multiple Gold Glove awards throughout his career. His ability to cover ground in center field is expected to enhance the Dodgers' overall defensive metrics. In an era where analytics play a critical role in player evaluation, Kiermaier's advanced defensive statistics suggest that he can significantly reduce runs scored against his team. This aspect is particularly vital for a Dodgers squad that has historically relied on strong pitching and defense to secure victories.
Kiermaier, 34, is in the midst of a thoroughly disappointing season, batting .195 with a .546 OPS. While his defense in the outfield has been stellar as always (10 OAA, 9 DRS), it has not been enough to make up for his career-worst offensive numbers. He has been worth just 0.2 Wins Above Replacement according to FanGraphs. The four-time Gold Glove winner went unclaimed on waivers earlier this month, with no team willing to claim him and take the remaining portion of his $10.5MM salary off of the Blue Jays’ books. Now, however, just over two weeks later, the Jays found a club willing to take Kiermaier off their hands, and they got a left-handed long-man for the bullpen in return. Toronto will pay Yarbrough the remaining portion of his $3.9 million salary, but all told, this trade should still save the Jays approximately $2.2 million, per RosterResource.
This deal was instead made in order to do right by Kiermaier, who recently announced that he will be retiring at the end of the season. Joining the 63-44 Dodgers puts him in a great position to become a World Series champion for the first time in his career.
Despite his hitting struggles, the four-time Gold Glove winner remains an elite outfielder, whose defence will be beneficial for the Dodgers whenever they see fit. For the Jays, meanwhile, they have added a veteran reliever who should provide help for the remainder of the season to a bullpen that has had plenty of struggles through 107 games.
A long-time Rays hurler, Yarbrough found himself in Los Angeles at last year's trade deadline. He is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, as his one-year, $3.9-million contract comes to a close.
While he has worked only out of the bullpen for the Dodgers this season, Yarbrough has made 68 career starts and figures to get the chance to help the Blue Jays work through the remaining 55 games of the season after trading away Yimi Garcia, Yusei Kikuchi and Trevor Richards.
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