The Tampa Bay Rays lost another piece of their starting lineup Saturday, as outfielder Kevin Kiernaier was removed from the game in the second inning with what looked to by a wrist injury.
Kiermaier was grabbing his left wrist after being thrown out trying to steal second base in the top of the inning. Head athletic trainer Joe Benge and manager Kevin Cash came out to attend to the 31-year-old center fielder.
Manuel Margot entered the game in the bottom of the inning playing right field, and Brett Phillips moved over to center to take Kiermaier’s spot on defense.
Update 5:35 pm: The Rays announce that x-rays on Kiermaier’s left wrist were negative and he has been diagnosed with a sprain in the joint.
WDAE’s Zac Blobner tweeted out a GIF of the play.
#Rays Kiermaier left the game in pain after a slide into 2nd… it was officially diagnosed as a Left Wrist Sprain & the XRays were thankfully Negative
Looks like KK’s hand got caught under Chapman’s knee, yikes
Here’s they play#RaysUp @953WDAE @TBTimes_Rays @stevecarney pic.twitter.com/szuuGzMXCU
— 𝗭𝗮𝗰 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗻𝗲𝗿 (@ZacOnTheMic) May 8, 2021
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
