The Los Angeles Dodgers announced their World Series roster ahead of Friday’s Game 1 versus the New York Yankees, and the club opted not to include former Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier.

Kiermaier, acquired by the Dodgers prior to this season’s trade deadline, was left off the franchise’s roster for the fall classic with shortstop Miguel Rojas returning from injury.

That means the 34-year-old outfielder — who announced before being traded in July that 2024 would be his final season — has already played his final professional game, barring a series-ending injury to one of his Dodgers teammates.

Following 10 seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, Kiermaier signed as a free agent with the Blue Jays prior to the 2023 campaign and enjoyed an impressive performance, hitting .265/.322/.419 with eight home runs and 36 RBIs across 129 games, tied for the second-most of his career. He also provided elite defence in centre field, with his overall value amounting to 2.8 fWAR.

With the Blue Jays deciding to run it back last off-season, they insisted Kiermaier return on another one-year deal — only his production never came close to matching his 2023 levels. In 82 games, the left-handed veteran struggled to a .195/.236/.310 slash line while mustering four home runs and 18 RBIs before heading to the Dodgers in exchange for left-hander Ryan Yarbrough.

Kiermaier didn’t earn much playing time with the eventual NL champions, logging just 64 plate appearances over 34 games, with most of his appearances coming as a late-game defensive replacement. He’s only appeared in four games this post-season, compiling a pair of plate appearances — neither resulting in a hit.

The 31st-round selection from 2010 will forever be remembered for his elite defence, as a four-time Gold Glove winner and a Platinum Glove winner in 2015 with Tampa Bay. He is, without question, one of the best defenders of his generation — and perhaps all-time, too.

It’s the 12th World Series meeting between the Dodgers and Yankees, who’ve won eight of the previous 11 showdowns dating back to 1941.