Fansided

3 Tampa Bay Rays who won’t be back and where they’ll go

By Noah Yingling

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 16: Corey Kluber #28 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches during a game against the Texas Rangers at Tropicana Field on September 16, 2022 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 16: Corey Kluber #28 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches during a game against the Texas Rangers at Tropicana Field on September 16, 2022 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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Kevin Kiermaier, Tampa Bay Rays
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JUNE 10: Kevin Kiermaier #39 of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on against the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning of the game at Target Field on June 10, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Rays 9-4. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /

2) Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier – San Francisco Giants

Kevin Kiermaier is the longest-tenured member of the Rays … but he will likely move on to a different team this offseason.

Kiermaier, 32, has, once again, spent most of the season on the injured list. This year, Kiermaier only played in 63 games, this time due to a hip injury. Per usual, he was a good defender but a slightly below-average hitter.

His problems are that he’s rarely healthy and makes a lot. He has not played in more than 130 games in a season since 2015. Since 2017, he only has two seasons in which he has played in 100 or more games.

The Rays have a team option on him for $13 million for next year. As of now, that would be nearly double that of the next highest contract on the team (Manuel Margot’s $7 million).

A thrifty, small market team like the Rays very well could balk at the idea of paying that much for Kiermaier, especially with his injury history.

But a team that will certainly look to spend some money this season that is need for a good defensive outfielder after being a bad defensive team this season, like the Giants, could look to sign Kiermaier this offseason if the Rays don’t exercise their team option.

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