Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier exited Monday night’s game against the Red Sox in the third inning due to left quadriceps tightness, the team announced.
Kiermaier missed some time in Spring Training due to tightness in both hips and, separately, a tight quad. While trying to beat out a double-play grounder in the second inning Monday night at Fenway Park, he appeared to get down the line slower than usual. He was stretching his legs in the outfield in the bottom of the second and looked uncomfortable chasing Franchy Cordero’s RBI double off the Green Monster.
In the third inning, Mike Brosseau replaced Kiermaier in the Rays’ lineup, batting sixth and playing left field. Randy Arozarena moved from left to right, where he made an early candidate for catch of the year in the fourth inning. Manuel Margot moved from right to center.
That left the Rays, already plagued by injuries four games into the season, with a three-man bench: corner infielder Yandy Díaz and catchers Francisco Mejía and Joseph Odom. Tampa Bay broke camp with 12 hitters on the 26-man active roster but added Odom on Saturday, when lefty reliever Ryan Sherriff went on the restricted list.
The Rays began the season without first baseman Ji-Man Choi (right knee) and outfielder Brett Phillips (left hamstring), immediately testing the depth of their position player group. If Kiermaier’s injury forces them to make a roster move in the next two days, they have two position player prospects in Boston as part of their traveling taxi squad: corner infielder Kevin Padlo and shortstop Taylor Walls.