Kevin

Kiermaier

Kiermaier is calling it quits after a 12-year career and going out on top as a World Series champion with the Los Angeles Dodgers after a midseason trade from the Toronto Blue Jays. Kiermaier hit .197 with five home runs and 26 RBI in 116 games during the regular season. A four-time Gold Glove award winner, the 34-year-old will be remembered most for his defense and 10 years played with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Rojas missed the NLCS with a hernia injury; an injury that will require surgery in the offseason. The shortstop is in, and Kevin Kiermaier will not be a part of the 26-man roster for the Fall Classic against the Yankees.

The Dodgers are carrying 13 pitches, so Grove gets a spot despite finishing the year in the minors. Henriquez, 22, also makes the team after only three career major league relief appearances. Both were picked over Joe Kelly, who allowed one run in four innings after coming off the IL last month. With just 13 hitters on the roster, Kevin Kiermaier loses out.

The finger was promptly popped back into place. Kiermaier has mostly been a defensive replacement of late, but he did start tonight for the first time since Sept. 8 and went 1-for-2 before leaving.

With Chris Taylor coming off the IL, the Dodgers needed to choose between Kevin Kiermaier and Heyward as their left-handed bat off the bench. Considering Kiermaier is an elite defender and Heyward was slashing .208/.289/.393 in 63 games, the choice between the two seemed easy on the field, but Heyward was well-respected in the clubhouse which made it a tough decision. Taylor himself has really struggled in 2024, but the Dodgers felt that his versatility helped the team going forward.

Kiermaier came up huge with a three-run homer in the sixth inning that turned a 4-4 tie into a 7-4 lead for the Dodgers. The 34-year-old also drove in a run with a single in the second. Kiermaier struggled mightily with the bat in Toronto, and while the sample here is very small, he’s been solid with the stick for Los Angeles with a .250/.308/.417 slash over 11 games. It’s still not wise to trust him in fantasy leagues.

Dave Roberts had previously said that Betts would get a day off during this season against the Brewers, and it looks like today is that day. There is no reason to worry about this being connected to his hand injury. Jason Heyward will start in right field and bat seventh today, while Andy Pages will start in centerfield and bat eighth with Kevin Kiermaier shifting to the bench.

The deal is now official. Kiermaier is planning to retire at the conclusion of the season and will wrap up his career with the Dodgers as part of their star-studded roster. The 34-year-old defensive wizard will most likely be utilized as a late-inning replacement during the postseason, which can be extremely valuable, especially in close games.

Kiermaier makes a ton of sense for Los Angeles as a late-inning defensive replacement in the postseason. The 34-year-old center fielder doesn’t offer a ton of appeal at the plate anymore, but he’s a fine end of the bench option on a contender.

The 34-year-old outfielder sustained the injury as he crashed into the center field wall. Fortunately, he appears to have avoid any significant injuries and should be considered day-to-day. Expect him to return to action at some point early next week.