Kevin Kiermaier and the non-slide into second base

Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports During last night’s game against the Braves in Atlanta, Rays manager Kevin Cash did something a little out of the ordinary: down one run, he swapped in a pinch runner for the man on first base, bringing in Kevin Kiermaier to run for the not-that-slow Brandon Lowe.

There was already one out, as left fielder Adam Duvall had made an astounding dive at the warning track to rob Jose Martinez of a no-doubt double. If that ball wasn’t caught, you might have expected a pinch runner to be the man on second for Brandon Lowe at the plate, but alas, when Lowe singled there was no one to run home.

Kiermaier taking first base here was an old-school move from a new-school manager,…