Recently, a sudden and somewhat shocking trade of former Cy Young winner Blake Snell to the San Diego Padres occurred. Following that, rumors are running that Gold Glove center fielder Kevin Kiermaier may be next to depart from the Rays.
Kevin Kiermaier
Kiermaier is a three-time Gold Glove winner for his defensive play, but he also has backed it up at the plate with a .248 career batting average, 71 home runs and close to 250 RBIs.
However, even with those stats, Kiermaier has struggled as of his recent seasons. Since the start of 2018, he’s only batted .222 and hit a mere 24 home runs, a downgrade from prior years.
That said, Kiermaier could be a valuable trade asset for the Rays. Since Snell’s trade especially, he’s been rumored to go next. A trade is also likely due to his long injury history as playing 110 games is a question for him.
Even with that injury history, Kiermaier could still be an asset for several teams and likely to get traded.
Possible Destinations and Why
Kiermaier, in recent reports, has been rumored to go to teams like the Phillies, Astros, Blue Jays and Braves, among other teams.
However, there is a question of why the Rays would go in this direction. After all, the Rays are coming off an AL Division title and a deep playoff run.
In return, he could net the Rays a significant return of players, similar to Snell. It could also alleviate some of the burden on the Rays caused by Kiermaier’s big contract.
Realism
As of now, there are many reports saying a trade is likely, however, the opposite is true of some reports.
The truth of the matter is that a trade may very well happen as the Rays are apparently looking to unload. It started with Snell and Kiermaier is a logical next step for a retool.