Kevin Kiermaier slams Rays for latest roster moves
Tom Schad
Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier isn't happy about the series of roster moves that the organization made over the weekend, and he didn't try to disguise those feelings Monday morning.
"I am 100 percent frustrated and very upset with the moves," Kiermaier said, according toThe Tampa Bay Times. "No beating around the bush. It's one of those things that makes you scratch your head, you don't know the reasoning why. And then you see the team's explanation and still it's just like, 'OK, well, so be it.'"
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In an apparent effort to cut payroll, the Rays traded starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi for an unheralded Single-A prospect and decided to part ways with outfielder Corey Dickerson, designating the 2017 All-Star for assignment. The Rays also added former Los Angeles Angels first baseman C.J. Cron, who hit .248 last season, as a result of the moves.
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Kiermaier, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner, told reporters he was trying to keep his comments professional while still being honest. He stressed that the Rays "can not sit here and dwell on it."
"We lost two great players. It's terrible. At the same time, life goes on," Kiermaier told reporters. "We still have to do what we have to do to go out there and get as many wins as possible."
And Kiermaier was not the only Ray to publicly criticize the moves. Starter Chris Archer said the decision to designate Dickerson for assignment was "perplexing" while calling the return in the Odorizzi trade "interesting."
"You would assume a pitcher of his caliber would return something special. And maybe this kid we got is something special. I don't know," Archer told The Tampa Bay Times.
Third baseman Evan Longoria, who spent the first decade of his career with the Rays before being traded to the San Francisco Giants this winter, echoed his former teammates' thoughts.
"I kind of just feel bad for the Rays' fan base," Longoria told reporters. "And I feel bad for the guys this year who were probably counting on Corey to put up numbers to help the team win. I'm not going to take too many shots. But I think it's pretty obvious that the guy is a valuable player and didn't deserve to be DFA'd.''
Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.
