Kiermaier dominates Rays' best plays of decade

ST. PETERSBURG -- Pitching and defense have been the keys to the Rays’ success over the last decade, as evidenced by the club’s wide array of outstanding defensive plays from the 2010s.

Kevin Kiermaier has won three American League Gold Glove Awards over the last five years, so he’s going to be featured quite a bit on this list, but the rest of Tampa Bay’s fielders also had their fair share of jaw-dropping plays.

Let’s take a look at the top 10 defensive plays made by the Rays over the last 10 years:

1. Kiermaier robs Machado
Aug. 31, 2015, at Orioles

This is the play that most Rays fans remember, and for good reason. Manny Machado had tormented the American League East as a member of the Orioles, but this time, Kiermaier had the last laugh. It appeared like Machado was going to open the game with a leadoff homer off Chris Archer, but Kiermaier got a good jump on the ball, raced toward the warning track and jumped up, making a ridiculous leaping catch at the wall. It was so good that Kiermaier decided to tip his own cap. There weren’t many catches better than this one around baseball.

2. Superman Fuld
April 9, 2011, at White Sox

Sam Fuld had some memorable moments throughout his eight-year career in the Majors, but it’s hard to find a catch as good as the one he made against the White Sox in ‘11. Juan Pierre thought he had a bases-clearing triple, or possibly an inside-the-park grand slam, but Fuld used his speed to track the ball down before laying out with a full-extension dive to make a spectacular diving catch at the warning track. Kiermaier’s home run robbery came in at No. 1, but there’s certainly an argument to be made for Fuld’s play to sit atop this list.

3. “The Relay”
Oct. 8, 2019, vs. Astros

There aren’t many things in baseball more beautiful than a perfectly executed relay. Every step requires the utmost precision in order to throw out a runner at the plate. In Tampa Bay’s case, Kiermaier and Willy Adames pulled it off, and in a must-win postseason game -- making it that much more impressive. Yordan Alvarez smashed a hard-hit ball to deep center field, and it looked like the Astros were going to cut the Rays’ lead, but Kiermaier got to the ball quickly and played it off the bounce. He then delivered a strike to Adames, who showed off his arm with a laser to home plate. Catcher Travis d'Arnaud applied the tag on Jose Altuve, keeping the Astros off the board and ending the threat.

Maybe there’s some recency bias here because the play happened just a couple of months ago, but this is a play that the Rays will show on a loop throughout their Minor League system for years to come.

4. Three for the price of one
April 16, 2013, vs. Yankees

There was no way this list wasn’t going to include an around-the-horn triple play. With Tampa Bay needing to get out of a jam, Jeremy Hellickson got exactly what he needed: a grounder. Evan Longoria stepped on the third-base bag as he handled a tough short hop and then fired to Ben Zobrist, who was covering second base. Zobrist completed a quick turn and made a strong throw to first baseman Sean Rodríguez, whose stretch helped the Rays nab Russell Martin.

5. Wendle’s flip of the wrist
Jul. 20, 2018, vs. Marlins

I’m still not sure how Joey Wendle was able to complete this play. Justin Bour isn’t necessarily a speedster, but once the ball went over pitcher Nathan Eovaldi’s head, it seemed certain that the Marlins first baseman would reach base safely with an infield single. But Wendle, who flashed his glove throughout a stellar rookie campaign, rushed in, secured the ball and then delivered a perfect glove flip to first. A lot of second basemen can complete a glove flip, but I’m not sure any have been as far away from the bag as Wendle was on this play. Perhaps the best part is that Eovaldi stopped watching the play, assuming it would result in a hit. Can’t really blame him.

6. Kiermaier gets Bradley Jr.
Sept. 15, 2017, vs. Red Sox

Kiermaier and Boston’s Jackie Bradley Jr. are often regarded as the top two center fielders in the AL, which always makes the matchup interesting. On this play, Kiermaier hit Bradley Jr. with a taste of his own medicine, showing off his speed as he covered 104 feet before making a diving catch.

7. Middle-infield magic
July 26, 2013, at Red Sox

Dustin Pedroia was a thorn in the Rays’ side throughout the decade, but Yunel Escobar and Zobrist got some revenge in ‘13. Pedroia hit a grounder up the middle that appeared to be trouble, but Escobar got to the ball quickly and then delivered a behind-the-back glove flip to Zobrist at second. Zobrist made the play look even better as he barehanded the ball and threw a strike to first, completing the double play. The fact that a play of this caliber is at No. 7 on this list is a testament to the stellar defense Tampa Bay displayed throughout the decade.

8. Jumpman, Jumpman
May 27, 2019, vs. Blue Jays

Rowdy Tellez got a taste of the Kiermaier experience in ‘19. The Blue Jays rookie first baseman thought he had extra bases off Yonny Chirinos -- until Kiermaier made one of the most impressive plays of the season. Kiermaier raced over to left-center field, timed his jump perfectly and robbed Tellez as he hit the outfield padding. As Kiermaier jumped in the air, he provided a perfect shot of his body looking like Michael Jordan’s “Jumpman” logo.

9. Acrobatic Adeiny
July 8, 2017, vs. Red Sox

Adeiny Hechavarría shined with the glove in his 138 games with the Rays, and perhaps no play was more difficult than the one he made against Sandy León in ‘17. León lined one up the middle but was met by a diving Hechavarria. While the ball came out of Hechavarria’s glove as he hit the ground, the shortstop stayed with the play, picking it up and firing a one-hopper to first base to retire León. Had Hechavarria caught the liner, he probably wouldn’t have made the list. But his focus and arm strength made this play even better.

10. Kiermaier does it again
Aug. 13, 2019, at Padres

It’s only fair to end the list with yet another Kiermaier home run robbery. This time, Francisco Mejía was the victim. Kiermaier traveled 112 feet and made another leaping grab at the wall. It was one of the three five-star plays Kiermaier made in ‘19, per Statcast.