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Former Tampa Bay Rays Star Left Off World Series Roster For Los Angeles Dodgers

The multi-time Gold Glover could have provided late-game defense or late-game pinch-running, but instead, he'll be on the sidelines.

Brady Farkas

Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Kevin Kiermaier (93) warms up prior to the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium on Aug 28.
Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Kevin Kiermaier (93) warms up prior to the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium on Aug 28. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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Former Tampa Bay Rays star Kevin Kiermaier has been left off the World Series roster for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Infielder Miguel Rojas was too injured to play in the NLCS but is back on the roster for the Fall Classic, which appears to have forced Kiermaier off.

It's certainly good for LA to have Rojas back, but Kiermaier could have provided late-game value as a defensive replacement or as a pinch-runner. He can be re-added to the roster in the event of injury.

Kiermaier got four at-bats during the NLCS, going 0-for-2 with two runs scored. Should he not get added to the World Series roster at some point, those NLCS appearances will be the last ones of his career. He indicated earlier this summer that he was going to retire at the conclusion of the season.

He spent 10 years with the Rays and helped them get to the World Series in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He signed with the Blue Jays for 2023 and then re-signed for the 2024 season before getting traded to Los Angeles at the trade deadline.

As a hitter, Kiermaier has a lifetime .246 average. He hit just .197 for the two organizations this season. His best offensive seasons came at the beginning of his career when he hit .263 in both 2014 and 2015.

Game 1 of the World Series is set to begin on Friday night at 8:08 p.m. ET. The Dodgers will send Jack Flaherty to the mound against Gerrit Cole.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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