Kevin Kiermaier Latest Rays Player to be Dealing With Injury
NEW YORK — For several days now, Tampa Bay center fielder Kevin Kiermaier has been trying to fight through some tightness in his calf and Achilles area, and it reached a point on Wednesday night that he had to come out of the game against the New York Yankees.
Kiermaier, who hates coming out of games, had to leave in the third inning when the tightness wouldn't go away, and it was affecting his running. He was replaced by Brett Phillips, and he's hoping it's not a long-term issue.
“Just a little bit more tightness than I wanted in my calf-slash-Achilles area, I don’t really know what to call it, kind of down in that area,'' Kiermaier said after the game. “I've been dealing with it since that second (St. Louis) Cardinals game (last Wednesday, June 8). I felt it in Minnesota (over the wekend), and I tried to beat out an infield single (Tuesday) night and I definitely felt it more (Wednesday).
"I wanted to stay light on my feet and just try to preserve it and be good to go for the game, but the more I started moving around, running was an issue, that flexion with the foot. I felt like I was flirting with disaster being out there and I know this is an area not to fool around with. Unfortunately I had to make the decision where for me to get back to where I want to be, I felt like coming out of the game was in my best interest.''
Kiermaier didn't think an MRI or even a trip to the injured list will be required, and deemed it day-to-day for now. He's curious to see how he feels on Thursday.
“I don’t think it will get to that point (of getting an MRI), but I definitely need to show signs of improvement,'' he said. “I’m not really concerned about it. I was playing through it and was fine. I just think a good 100 percent sprint last night definitely really ticked it off a little bit.
"As a player, it’s tough making that call. But you’ve got to look out for yourself because you don’t want to prolong everything. I’m optimistic right now, I really am. Time will tell, but I know that team will want an answer. Hopefully I’ll get some rest, get some treatment down there and be good to go.''
Kiermaier has played in 53 of the Rays' 62 games, and he's hitting .225 with seven home runs — tied for the team lead with left fielder Randy Arozarena — and 17 RBIs. He's not entirely sure what spurred the injury, but thinks it's possible that it happened during the Cardinals series when he aggressively charged a ball and threw out Paul Goldschmidt at home.
“I don’t remember an exact moment, but when I threw Goldschmidt out, my left foot kind of slipped a little bit,'' Kiermaier said. "It’s been tight for four or five days and (Wednesday) it was even tighter than it has been.
“Hopefully we can get it loosened up and be back out there ASAP.’’
Watch Kevin Kiermaier's postgame interview
Kevin Kiermaier talks about his injury after leaving the game early. #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/Csz5ZYzfKJ
— Bally Sports Sun: Rays (@BallyRays) June 16, 2022
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Tom Brew is the publisher of Inside The Rays, and has been with the Sports Illustrated/FanNation network for three years. He is an award-winning writer and editor who has spent most of his four-decade career at the Tampa Bay Times, Indianapolis Star and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has written four books.