Blue Jays star gets a true taste of life in Toronto after getting his bike stolen
Toronto Blue Jays centre fielder Kevin Kiermaier has spent less than a year in Toronto, but even in that short time, the city has been quick to show him what it's all about.
Some things, like fans cheering loudly and crazy traffic, are immediately clear.
Other things, though, you have to learn the hard way, like the fact that if you aren't careful, your bike will certainly be stolen. In his latest interview, Kiermaier revealed that he recently learned this exact lesson.
Was chatting with @KKiermaier39 about his first season with the #BlueJays and he had the most Toronto thing happen to him... his bike was stolen. https://t.co/Rl4qQpRHww pic.twitter.com/xKOuAV170Y
— Lindsay Dunn (@LindsayDunnTV) August 1, 2023
Known around town as one of the only athletes to ride their bike to work, Kiermaier explained the unfortunate reason why he won't be cycling to the park anymore.
After returning home from a road trip, he discovered his garage door had been left open, and his beloved ride was nowhere to be found.
He'd apparently been dealing with a faulty garage opener that would randomly lift the door when it wasn't supposed to. Neighbours later confirmed that they had seen the door open for an extended period of time while Kiermaier was away.
As many of us know first-hand, even a few minutes is enough time for a bike thief to take off with your wheels. Unfortunately for Kiermaier, his bike didn't stand a chance.
Currently signed to a 1-year contract, Jays fans are hoping to see Kiermaier re-sign with the team long-term and would hate for an incident like this to deter him from sticking it out in TO.
To many of these fans, the solution seems pretty simple. Get him a new bike — stat!
So the contract extension needs to also include a bike.
— Steph 💙 Jays Forever (@stephtweetsx) August 1, 2023
Replacing the bike is one thing, but there's also the question of prevention. What's to stop someone from stealing it again? Luckily, some fans have thought about that problem as well.
Suggest that he get a beater bike.
— kevin chapman (@kevinc_262) August 1, 2023
Somehow, the thought of someone who makes $9 million a year riding to work on a beat-up bike just doesn't really compute. Besides, like Kiermaier said in the interview, he's not looking to replace it.
Hopefully he's seen enough good times here in Toronto to believe that the city isn't all bad, and if things continue to go well for the Jays, a contract extension could be in his near future.
Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
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