The Phillies and Rays have been engaged in trade talks for Kevin Kiermaier
Kevin Kiermaier has been on the Philadelphia Phillies front office’s mind for months.
According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Phillies were “engaged in talks” with the Rays about Kiermaier ahead of the 2021 midseason trade deadline. Similar stories emerged at the end of November, when MLB Network’s Joel Sherman reported that the Rays were “engaging seriously” on Kiermaier trade proposals.
Over his nine-year career, all with the Rays, Kiermaier has a lifetime .249/.310/.410 slash line and .720 OPS. The 31-year-old is actually coming off one of the best seasons of his career, putting up some of his best numbers in years, despite a decrease in home runs. Speaking of which, he’s never hit more than 15 homers in a single season.
Despite his lower offensive production, Kiermaier would still be an upgrade for the Phillies outfield due to his Gold Glove defensive skill. He’s a three-time Gold Glove centerfielder and even won the Platinum Glove in 2015, the award given to the best defensive player in the entire league.
Kevin Kiermaier’s contract explained
In 2017, the Rays signed Kiermaier to a six-year deal for $53.5M. He’s owed $12M for the final year in 2022. The Rays also have a $13M club option on Kiermaier for 2023, or they can buy him out for $2.5M.
For most teams, $12M for a Gold Glove outfielder would be an absolute steal. However, the Rays are one of the lowest-budget teams in baseball; their 2021 active payroll was a minuscule $44.28M, making Kiermaier’s portion significant.
Will Kevin Kiermaier’s injury history dissuade the Phillies from trading for him?
Injury history should also be of some concern for the Phillies, as Kiermaier has had plenty of them. He’s only played in more than 129 games once in his career, and the Phillies just cut ties with multiple outfielders who’d had significant injuries, including Roman Quinn, Odúbel Herrera, and Andrew McCutchen.
As the owners of one of the best farm systems in the game, the Rays are experts in dealing with prospects. They won’t relinquish Kiermaier without an impressive return, likely a combination of prospects – an area in which the Phillies don’t have much to offer – and cash.