Former Tampa Bay Rays Fan Favorite Wins World Series Ring and then Retires
Congratulations are in order for former Tampa Bay Rays star (and fan-favorite) Kevin Kiermaier who earned a World Series ring this week as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Dodgers defeated the Yankees in five games to capture the eighth World Series title in franchise history. It was the first title for the Dodgers since the 2020 COVID-shortened season.
Kiermaier wasn't on the active World Series roster, but he did participate for the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. They won that series against the New York Mets.
It was a great way to end the season - and a career - for Kiermaier. He announced earlier in the season that he would be retiring at the conclusion of this year.
According to Spotrac, he made just over $68 million in his career.
Kiermaier spent 10 years with the Rays, helping them advance to that 2020 World Series. 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.
One of the best defenders of his era, Kiermaier won four Gold Glove Awards. He won three of those with the Rays and one more with Toronto.
He received MVP votes back in the 2015 season with the Rays.
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