Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier played most of the season for AA Montgomery before advancing to AAA Durham. With Desmond Jennings nursing a sore hamstring, Kiermaier got a surprise call on Sunday night and he was on his way to Arlington to join the team for a game against the Texas Rangers in game 163.
“I felt like if I played well they were going to have to make a decision on me sooner or later, and today was the day, Sept. 30, 2013,” he said. “You can call it a Cinderella story, but there was a lot of hard work and I’m just thankful for the opportunity.”
“He is as good of a defender as there is in professional baseball in our opinion,” Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said. “He is really gifted in the outfield and also has a tremendous arm. We felt he has a chance to be a real weapon for us late in the game.”
Kiermaier was put in the game as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning of game 163
