Adedokun Waliyu 
While he’s arguably been the Toronto Blue Jays’ best offseason signing, Kevin Kiermaier continues to prove that he might be an even better person off the field.
The 33-year-old is known for making superman-like catches in centerfield, but he made a different kind of heroic effort this week when he rushed to help a young fan who fainted.
CityNews sports reporter Lindsay Dunn recalled the scene at Rogers Centre on Tuesday ahead of the team’s home game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
“There was a large group of fans watching batting practice and it was pretty hot out,” recounts Dunn. “While Kiermaier was signing autographs there was a bit of a commotion.”
“I’m about 100 feet away and I look over. A kid, around 10 to 13, had fainted.”
Dunn says Kiermaier quickly called for help and when paramedics arrived he ran to get water to bring it back to the young fan. The child was taken away from the field and out of the sun and was soon able to get back on to his feet.
“It was just so hot on the field and thankfully Kiermaier was there and EMT services were nearby,” Dunn says.
Once he was able to determine the fan was okay, Kiermaier returned to signing more autographs for the large group of fans on the field.
“It just shows the person that he is,” Dunn says. “He really is a nice person. These are the stories we keep hearing about Kevin Kiermaier.”
The veteran outfielder joined the Blue Jays as a free agent in the offseason after spending his entire baseball career with the Tampa Bay Rays. He struggled with a lingering hip issue for much of 2022 but has rebounded nicely after offseason surgery.
He recently told CityNews he had his bike swiped from his Toronto home after using it regularly to get around the city, including to home games.
Kiermaier is on track for reinstatement from the injured list ahead of the series opener against the Reds in Cincinnati on Friday. He suffered a right elbow laceration while making a jumping catch into the wall against the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 6.
The Blue Jays (67-55) split their two games against the Phillies this week and sit third in the A.L. East and one game ahead of the Seattle Mariners for the final wild card spot.
