Kevin Kiermaier leaves young Blue Jays fan in shock with special gift

Few athletes are able to win over a new fan base as quickly as Kevin Kiermaier has captured the hearts of Toronto Blue Jays supporters.

Kiermaier was a thorn in the Blue Jays' side for nearly a decade as a member of the rival Tampa Bay Rays, but he's immediately found himself in the good graces of Toronto fans thanks to his hustle-driven style of play, sensational defence and off-field behaviour.

After delivering a key two-run triple in the fourth inning of Tuesday's victory over the Chicago White Sox, Kiermaier took it upon himself to make a young fan's day. Once he returned to the dugout, the 33-year-old removed the batting gloves that were torn from his slide into third base and tossed them to a child sitting nearby. The fan was left visibly shocked by the unique gift.

After the game, Kiermaier told Sportsnet's Hazel Mae it's something he likes to do whenever he busts a pair of gloves.

“I may have made his night (after seeing his reaction), but he really made my night," Kiermaier said.

Kiermaier has been doing a little bit of everything for the Blue Jays after signing a one-year, $9-million contract over the winter. He's delivered his usual Gold Glove-calibre defence in centre field, highlighted by a home run-saving catch in Toronto's first game at the new-look Rogers Centre.

The veteran has also been a pleasant surprise with the bat, slashing .299/.338/.448 through the first month of play. Those numbers are well above his career .249/.308/.408 batting line.

Thanks in large part to Kiermaier's contributions on both sides of the diamond, Toronto has enjoyed a 15-9 start to the 2023 campaign and is currently riding a three-game win streak. The Blue Jays will aim for their first sweep of the season in Wednesday afternoon's series finale against Chicago.