Oct 7, 2020; San Diego, California, USA; Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier (39) hits a three run home run against the New York Yankees in the fourth inning during game three of the 2020 ALDS at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Kiermaier cuts the Dodgers lead in half
Oh how quickly things can change in the MLB postseason. The Tampa Bay Rays rely heavily on the home run ball, and despite their lineup hitting just over .200 on the postseason, Kiermaier played to their strengths against the best of the best. Clayton Kershaw set down 13 Rays in a row in the middle innings, but Kiermaier broke that streak with one swing of the bat.
Kiermaier is known primarily for his defensive ability in the outfield, but he’s shown some pop from time to time. That potential makes his impact on this series ever-greater, and a player to watch for moving forward.
Even a pitcher like Kershaw is bound to make mistakes
And those mistakes will be taken advantage of by teams as well-coached as the Rays. Kevin Cash’s group had the best record in the American League for a reason. On the surface, the Rays look relatively overmatched, especially when squarely looking at the names on the rosters. But as we know, baseball goes much deeper than this.
Kershaw is in line for arguably his best World Series performance to date. Considering he’ll be used once, if not twice more this series, Kiermaier’s success is something to take note of.