Free agent outfielder Kevin Kiermaier has  reached an agreement with the Toronto Blue Jays pending a physical, as reported by Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.

The Blue Jays were looking for outfield help after trading Teoscar Hernandez to the Seattle Mariners for reliever Erik Swanson and prospect Adam Macko last month. Multiple reports had linked the Blue Jays with outfielder Brandon Nimmo, who this week returned to the Mets after signing an eight-year, $162 million contract.

Instead, the Blue Jays have added a veteran presence to their outfield in Kiermaier, who is an accomplished major leaguer and a three-time Gold Glove winner and a Platinum Glove winner. The 32-year-old has been a free agent ever since the Tampa Bay Rays turned down his $13 million club option. Although not known for his bat, Kiermaier provides stellar defense and he will add a veteran presence and a wealth of experience to Toronto’s young core of stars.

Kiermaier has been with the Rays organization since he was drafted in 2010 out of Parkland College. In his career with Tampa Bay, he has batted .248/.308/.407 with a .715 OPS. He has hit 140 doubles, 51 triples, 82 home runs, drove in 316 RBI, and scored 410 runs in a major league career that has spanned a decade so far. It is with the glove that Kiermaier has really impressed, though, with the center fielder boasting a 71 Outs Above Average since 2016. His jump on balls in play and arm strength have also been among the best in the majors.

The 2022 season was a tough one for Kiermaier, who batted .228/.281/.369, with a .649 OPS. He hit eight doubles and seven homers. He also drove in 22 RBI and had 28 runs scored. However, it is worth noting that the 32-year-old had to undergo surgery in August in order to repair the labrum and he was also dealing with an impingement in his left hip. As a result, the Blue Jays will be hoping to get more production from a fully healthy Kiermaier in 2023.

Kiermaier was linked to the Mets earlier this offseason as a backup plan if Nimmo signed elsewhere. Instead, Kiermaier will look to boost a Blue Jays team on the rise and his skills in the outfield will be even more crucial in Toronto with the ban on the shift and Rogers Centre getting new outfield dimensions as part of the current renovation. The veteran will provide a lot of defensive help for a young team that needed to improve their outfield defense.