Kevin Kiermaier Snags Blue Jays Data Card in Odd Play

An odd play took place in Tampa Bay's 6-4 victory over the Blue Jays on Tuesday, and it's gaining a bit of attention. 

Spoke w/ Kiermaier. These are his comments.

Around 5:20 pm, Kevin Cash came out to speak with Charlie Montoyo about it.

The Jays are pissed. As a team source told me, "if there’s one card we wouldn’t want any opponent to have, it’s that one"

More at 6:30 pm on @Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/Rp6iaGNPwM

— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) September 21, 2021

In the bottom of the 6th inning, Kevin Kiermaier attempted to run around the bases for a little league home run after chopping a ball towards 3rd base. With an errant throw to 1st, the three-time Gold Glove centerfielder rounded 2nd and was going to easily acquire 3rd base as well. However, he ran through the stop sign at 3rd and continued to go home, where he was easily gunned down at the plate by Teoscar Hernandez. 

The play at the plate though, is garnering all of the attention, as Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk's wristband came loose and the Jays data card became dislodged - and Kiermaier picked it up. According to him, he "never even looked at it... but at the same time, I'm not going to drop it or hand it back." Once the Jays realized the sheet was missing, they sent a bat boy to the Rays dugout to retrieve the stolen goods, only to be rejected and come back empty handed. Odd indeed. 

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Jays decided not to plunk Kiermaier with a pitch, but rather force him into a double play. 

Instead of getting drilled, Kevin Kiermaier hits into a double play. The way it should be. #Bluejays

— Mike Wilner (@Wilnerness) September 21, 2021

At the end of the day, Jays manager Charlie Montoyo called the incident "aqua under the bridge" between he and Rays manager Kevin Cash, as the two are friends.

Photo Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports