PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Kevin Kiermaier's first swing this spring wasn't in the batter's box, it was sent to his critics.
"I want to remind people in the baseball world who the best defensive player on the planet is, and I say that confidently. I got a lot of reminding to do for a lot of people," Kiermaier said.
The Rays' center fielder has always been a defensive stalwart, but injuries the past two seasons have taken him off the national radar. Two years ago, Kiermaier endured a fractured hand, and then last season he sustained a fractured hip -- injuries that have caused him to miss 111 games since the start of 2016.