Kiermaier (illness) will start in center field and bat second Sunday against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Though he's feeling better after missing Saturday's game while battling flu-like symptoms, Kiermaier indicated that he's not 100 percent healthy, according to Topkin. With the outfielder off to a 2-for-28 start to the season and operating at less-than-optimal strength for a matchup against a tough southpaw in Eduardo Rodriguez, Kiermaier is probably worth avoiding in DFS formats Sunday.

Kiermaier is not in Saturday's lineup against the Red Sox due to "general illness," Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

In his place, Carlos Gomez will patrol center field while Denard Span and Mallex Smith man the corner spots. Kiermaier has started seven of the Rays' eight games up to this point, but has been struggling mightily at the dish, going just 2-for-28 with 12 strikeouts. Consider him day-to-day ahead of Sunday's outing.

Kiermaier went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Red Sox.

EDGE Analysis

Kiermaier had deployed an adjusted batting stance with success during spring training, but the production has yet to carry over into the regular season. The 27-year-old has hit safely just once over his first 15 at-bats, while also already striking out on five occasions. Given that he'd kept his strikeout rate under 20 percent in three of his first four seasons, Kiermaier is bound to break out of his opening-series funk in relatively short order.His next opportunity to do so will presumably come Tuesday against the Yankees, as Monday's game has been rained out.

Kiermaier is anxious to deploy the new batting stance that's brought him success this spring in the regular season, Bill Chastain of MLB.com reports. "I'm just really excited about this year, because I feel like I'm a lot more comfortable with my stance at the plate and that's translated into confidence, into good at-bats," Kiermaier said.

EDGE Analysis

Kiermaier feels the adjustments he's made in the batter's box have facilitated his use of the entire field, which has him heading into 2018 with a great deal of confidence. The 27-year-old set new career highs in home runs (15) and batting average (.276) in 2017, but he continues to head into each season with the mindset of having something to prove. "We're all competitive," he said. "But for me, I always feel like I have something to prove to someone. It goes back to me being a 31st-rounder [in the Draft]. Not a whole lot of people thought I was good enough to be taken early. A lot of people passed on me. Same thing with my offense. I always want to prove to people that I can hit."

Kiermaier, who went 1-for-3 with an RBI ground-rule double in Sunday's 9-1 Grapefruit League win over the Yankees, is slashing .235/.235/.294 with a double, three RBI and a run across six spring training games.

EDGE Analysis

The lone starting holdover in the outfield from last season, Kiermaier is off to a slow start following a 2017 campaign in which he established career bests in batting average (.276), OBP (.338) and home runs (15). The multi-skilled 27-year-old figures to fill a prominent role in the top half of the order once again this season, although exactly where he'll slot in to open 2018 remains to be seen. Kiermaier has worked as the leadoff man thus far this spring, along with filling the No. 2 role he was deployed in Sunday. His usage a season ago was almost even between the two spots, as Kiermaier logged 148 at-bats at the top of the lineup and 172 as the No. 2 man.

Kiermaier occupied the leadoff spot for the Rays in Sunday's 5-4 Grapefruit League victory over the Twins, going hitless in three at-bats.

EDGE Analysis

While he didn't find any success Sunday and stranded three runners on base, Kiermaier's usage atop the order is noteworthy nonetheless. It appears manager Kevin Cash is still exploring where Kiermaier fits best in Tampa Bay's lineup, as the outfielder previously slotted in as the No. 3 hitter in the Rays' exhibition opener Friday. So long as remains somewhere in the upper half of the order and avoids the extensive disabled-list stints that sidetracked his past two seasons, Kiermaier's blend of speed, on-base and bat-to-ball skills and emerging power should translate to quality across-the-board production.

Kiermaier is out of the lineup Sunday against the Orioles.

EDGE Analysis

Mallex Smith will start in center field and hit eighth with Kiermaier out of the lineup. Kiermaier came back from an illness and played in Saturday's game, in which he went 1-for-4 with two stolen bases. Injuries limited Kiermaier to 98 games this season. In that time he hit .276/.338/.450.

Kiermaier (illness) is in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Orioles.

EDGE Analysis

Kiermaier rejoins the starting nine for the first time since Wednesday after dealing with an illness the past couple days. He will slide back into the leadoff spot while manning center field for Saturday's contest.

Kiermaier is dealing with an illness but is expected to rejoin the lineup Saturday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Kiermaier is not starting Friday for the second day in a row, but manager Kevin Cash revealed he is dealing with an illness and not any sort of injury, and he expects Kiermair to be available for the Rays' final two games of the season this weekend.

Kiermaier is not in the lineup Friday for the second day in a row, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Kiermaier appeared to be receiving a simple day off Thursday, but his absence from Friday's lineup, particularly with him hitting .290 this month, brings a potential injury into the equation. Regardless of why, though, Kiermaier will open on the bench Friday while Peter Bourjos gets the start in center field.