Tampa Bay Rays: Kevin Kiermaier out at least 2 months with hip fracture

Outfielder Kevin Kiermaier has a fractured hip, leaving the Tampa Bay Rays without their defensive whiz for at least two months.

Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier will miss at least two months with a hairline fracture in his right hip, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

Kiermaier suffered the injury while sliding into first base during last night’s game against the Chicago White Sox at Tropicana Field. He stumbled over the bag while unsuccessfully attempting to beat White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu to the base on a ground ball in the fifth inning.

It was immediately clear that Kiermaier was in pain, grasping his hip area and limping off the field with assistance. Afterwards, he explained to the media that he was just trying to hustle for an infield hit. Though the Rays survived a late push by Chicago to claim a 7-5 victory, they knew they would likely be without their star outfielder for an extended period of time.

Per Topkin, it could take longer than two months for Kiermaier to actually get back into a game for the Rays. The hip fracture itself is expected to require 6-8 weeks to heal, at which point Kiermaier will need time to work himself back to game readiness and likely go through a minor league rehab assignment. In any case, he should return sometime in August.

Mallex Smith has been called up from Triple-A and will be given the chance to play center field every day while Kiermaier is out.

This is obviously a tough blow to the Rays, particularly in the field. The 27-year-old Kiermaier has built a reputation as one of the best defensive players in all of baseball. He’s become a fixture in highlight reels for his incredible diving catches in center field, plays which he makes look routine.

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Since 2014, Kiermaier leads all outfielders with 90 defensive runs saved (DRS). He’s followed by Jason Heyward with 76. Kiermaier earned Gold Glove awards in each of the past two seasons, and in 2015 he was honored with the Platinum Glove as the best overall defender in the American League.

While the bulk of Kiermaier’s value resides in his defense, he manages to be reasonably productive with the bat. He has generated a .258/.313/.425 slash line with a 105 OPS+ over the last three campaigns. In 62 games this year, he is hitting .258/.329/.408 with seven home runs and 20 RBI.

Prior to the season, the Rays rewarded Kiermaier with a six-year, $53.5 million extension. For a small-market team that doesn’t typically hand out long-term deals, it was a clear sign that they viewed him as a core franchise player.

Injuries aren’t exactly new territory for Kiermaier. Last year he broke two bones in his left hand trying to catch a line drive. He underwent surgery and was limited to 105 games for the season. It’s an unfortunate occupational hazard for a player known for giving it his all on virtually every play.

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The Rays have quietly been keeping themselves afloat in the standings. At an even 31-31, they are 5.5 games off the pace in the AL East and just two games behind in the Wild Card race. Their bid to stay in the hunt has taken a hit with Kiermaier sidelined, but they’ll hope the rest of their cast can pick up the slack in the meantime.