Kevin Kiermaier stirred up a quiet storm with one unexpected move on the basepaths. After being thrown out trying to score on an aggressive play, Kiermaier spotted a scouting card that had fallen from Alejandro Kirk’s wristband. That card contained Toronto’s pitching notes on Tampa Bay hitters. Without hesitation, Kiermaier picked it up and brought it to the Rays dugout. The whole thing played out on camera, and while Kiermaier claimed after the game that he thought it was his own scouting report and never looked at it, the footage tells a different story. He clearly knew what it was. He passed it to a coach who quickly pocketed it without glancing at it, suggesting they both knew exactly what they had.
The Blue Jays weren’t happy. In the next game, Toronto sent a message. Kiermaier got drilled with a pitch, right between the numbers. The pitcher acted like it got away, but no one bought that. Rays manager Kevin Cash heated up, pushed for the ejection, and got it after the umpires talked it over. Things got loud in the Blue Jays dugout too, with Pete Walker going off on the field. Emotions were high, but Toronto’s manager Charlie Montoyo kept it low key, even laughing a little on the side.
Kiermaier tried to downplay the drama but didn’t seem convincing. He said he was “over it,” yet his actions showed the Rays saw value in what he grabbed. The whole moment sparked debate around ethics and gamesmanship. Kiermaier’s move wasn’t illegal, but plenty of people think it crossed a line. Either way, the takeaway is simple: if you’re carrying your game plan on your wrist, maybe keep a tighter grip on it before someone else does.