Akinori Iwamura
Zobrist was placed in right field for the beginning of the 2009 season, and was made the starting second baseman after teammate Akinori Iwamura was injured. Zobrist hit three grand slams in 2009, leading the Rays, and was among the league leaders in slugging percentage. He earned a trip to his first All Star Game in St. Louis in 2009. The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America named him MVP of the Rays for 2009.