Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: Serves as defensive replacement
Rotowire
Kiermaier (knee) went 1-for-1 with a stolen base Sunday against the Blue Jays.
Kiermaier was held out of the lineup Sunday after fouling a ball off his knee in the previous game. However, he entered the matchup in the eighth inning as a defensive replacement and subsequently stole his third base of the campaign. Apparently healthy, Kiermaier is likely to get regular playing time so long as Manuel Margot (hamstring) remains on the injured list.
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Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: Available off bench
Rotowire
Kiermaier, who fouled a ball off his right knee Saturday, said he is feeling better and is available off the bench Sunday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
He should be considered day-to-day until he officially re-enters the lineup. With Manuel Margot on the injured list with a hamstring strain, the Rays will likely play Kiermaier pretty regularly once he's cleared to return.
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Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: On bench again Sunday
Rotowire
Kiermaier is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The 32-year-old finds himself on the bench for the second straight contest with Brett Phillips receiving another start in center field. Kiermaier has a .171/.227/.329 slash line with three home runs, two stolen bases and a 30.7 percent strikeout rate through 29 games.
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Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: Not starting Saturday
Rotowire
Kiermaier isn't starting Saturday's game against the Blue Jays, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Kiermaier was initially listed among the starters for Saturday's matchup, but the team issued a revised lineup with Brett Phillips starting in center field and batting ninth. Kiermaier isn't believed to be dealing with an injury, so he should be available off the bench.
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Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: Swats third homer
Rotowire
Kiermaier went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a second run scored in Wednesday's 4-2 extra-inning win over the Angels.
The veteran center fielder took Shohei Ohtani deep in the second inning to get the Rays on the board, then crossed the plate with the winning run on a Vidal Brujan double in the top of the 10th. Kiermaier offers little fantasy utility outside of deep AL-only formats despite playing nearly every day, as he's slashing .179/.238/.348 with three homers, two steals, eight RBI and 10 runs through 27 games.
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Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: Swipes bag Monday
Rotowire
Kiermaier went 0-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in Monday's 11-3 loss to the Angels.
The oft-injured defensive whiz appears to be feeling 100 percent right now, as both of his steals on the season have come in the last three games. Kiermaier is slashing only .183/.247/.324 through 25 contests with two homers, seven RBI and eight runs, but his glove should keep him in Tampa Bay's outfield rotation.
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Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: Takes seat Sunday
Rotowire
Kiermaier is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners.
After three straight starts, Kiermaier will head to the bench and cede center-field duties to Brett Phillips in the series finale. Kiermaier is coming off a big showing in Saturday's 8-2 win in which he went 2-for-4 with a double and his first stolen base of the season.
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Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: Collects two hits, swipes bag
Rotowire
Kiermaier went 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base in an 8-2 win against the Mariners on Saturday.
Kiermaier did his damage early with a single in the third inning and a double and theft of third base in the fifth for only his second multi-hit game of the season. The 34-year-old has been slumping through May, going 1-for-18 over the five games prior to Saturday's effort, and the steal was his first of the season. If Kiermaier's .188/.243/.333 slash line holds, he would post career lows in each category.
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Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: Not starting Wednesday
Rotowire
Kiermaier isn't starting Wednesday against Oakland, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Kiermaier went just 1-for-7 with a double, two runs and two strikeouts over the last two games. Brett Phillips will take over in center field and bat ninth.
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Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: Sits for series finale
Rotowire
Kiermaier is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins.
The Rays are opposing a right-handed pitcher (Josh Winder) in the series finale, but the lefty-hitting Kiermaier will nonetheless find himself out of the lineup in what could just be a maintenance day. Brett Phillips will pick up a start in center field in place of Kiermaier, who went 1-for-7 with a base hit between the first two games of the series.
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Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: Takes seat Thursday
Rotowire
Kiermaier isn't starting Thursday against Seattle, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Kiermaier went 5-for-13 with two homers, four RBI and three runs in his last four appearances, and he'll get a breather in Thursday's series finale. Brett Phillips will start in center field and bat eighth.
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Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: Goes yard in win
Rotowire
Kiermaier went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer in the win over the Mariners on Wednesday.
Kiermaier went deep off righty reliever Yohan Ramirez in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring Taylor Walls and extending the lead to 3-0. The 32-year-old now has two long balls and seven RBI on the season.
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Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: Swats walk-off homer
Rotowire
Kiermaier went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Saturday's extra-inning win over Boston.
The AL East combatants battled to a scoreless tie after nine innings, pushing the game to extra frames. Boston scored a pair of runs in its half of the 10th but made a crucial error in the bottom of the inning to prolong the game. Kiermaier capitalized on the mistake, slugging a two-run shot to right field to give the Rays the win. It was the first homer of the season for the veteran outfielder, who has struggled to a .152/.243/.303 slash line thus far.
Kiermaier is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Cubs, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Kiermaier will head to the bench Tuesday with lefty Justin Steele pitching for Chicago. Randy Arozarena, Manuel Margot and Josh Lowe will start from left to right in the outfield.
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Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: Not in Saturday's lineup
Rotowire
Kiermaier isn't starting Saturday's game against the White Sox, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Kiermaier started in each of the least three games, but he went just 1-for-8 with two strikeouts. Brett Phillips will take his place in center field and bat seventh.
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Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: Heads to bench
Rotowire
Kiermaier is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Athletics, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Kiermaier sits for the second time in the Rays' first five games. Brett Phillips will take over in center field.
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Rays' Kevin Kiermaier: Sitting Sunday
Rotowire
Kiermaier is not in Sunday's lineup against the Orioles.
Kiermaier is out of the lineup after starting the team's first two games, during which he went a combined 1-for-6 with a double and run scored. Manuel Margot rejoins the lineup after sitting Saturday, and he will play center field while batting ninth.
Kiermaier (groin) will start in center field and bat eighth in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against Atlanta, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Kiermaier was scratched from the Rays' spring lineup last Friday due to a sore left groin, but after resuming workouts without any major discomfort in the last few days, he'll be making his return to the starting nine less than a week after the injury first surfaced. The 31-year-old is expected to open the campaign as the Rays' primary center fielder, though he'll likely sit at least occasionally against left-handed starting pitchers.
