The Tampa Bay Rays had to make some changes with their coaching staff this offseason because of other organizations hiring people away.
Their biggest loss was Blake Butera, who the Washington Nationals named as their manager. On his first staff, he brought along Michael Johns as his bench coach, creating a void at first base coach for the Rays.
To replace Johns, they brought in a familiar face: Corey Dickerson. His one All-Star Game appearance came representing Tampa Bay in 2017, but he isn’t the only former player who will be around the franchise this year.
Kevin Kiermaier is also back with the Rays. As shared by Ryan Bass, the team’s sideline reporter and host on MLBTV, along with being a NewsNation National Correspondent, the four-time Gold Glove Award winner has been hired as a consultant for the team.
Rays bringing on Kevin Kiermaier as consultant
Sep 24, 2022; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier (39) looks on from the dugout in the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
This is the second coaching gig that he has had since retiring as a player in 2024. He spent the 2025 season with the Toronto Blue Jays as a special assistant.
Based on their defensive performance throughout the season, especially from the outfield, it is safe to say that Kiermaier had a positive impact on the players.
Tampa Bay is certainly hoping that he can do the same for them. He has already been working closely with speedster Chandler Simpson. A menace on the basepaths, he has yet to make the most of that athleticism as a defender.
Look who’s back in #Rays gear 👀 Kevin Kiermaier is here in Port Charlotte, where his big league career began. He’s working with Chandler Simpson, Justyn-Henry Malloy and minor league outfielders on their defense. pic.twitter.com/wrU4O4uS6V
— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) February 11, 2026
Fully transitioning from second base to the outfield, Simpson will be one of the players with whom Kiermaier works closest this year. He has also been putting work in with Justyn-Henry Malloy on the Major League roster, while helping out the minor league outfielders as well.
Having a player of that caliber around the team during spring training and for the duration of 2026 will be incredibly valuable. Alas, this may not be a long-term partnership between the Rays and their former star outfielder.
Kiermaier told Bass that he started a company – “The 3-9 Effect, LLC” – and would consider expanding his work to other teams around the league. However, for 2026, he is locked in with Tampa Bay as a consultant, focused on helping the outfielders defensively.
Ex #Rays CF and four-time Gold Glove winner Kevin Kiermaier has been hired by Tampa Bay as a consultant, focusing on outfield. He was in Port Charlotte today working with Chandler Simpson, among others, and will be helping out all season long.
Kiermaier was a special assistant…
— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) February 9, 2026
He is a great asset for the players to lean on. In 2015, he led the MLB with 15 outfield assists and 19 Total Zone Total Fielding Runs Above Average. Two years later, the first time that he won a Gold Glove Award, he had the highest dWAR, per Baseball Reference, in the sport with 4.4.
He didn’t register a single season with a Defensive Runs Saved that was negative. Kiermaier was a stellar defender all throughout his career and will now be helping develop the next batch of great Rays outfielders.
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