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Isiah Kiner-Falefa

AL East Notes: Chisholm, Palacios, Kiner-Falefa, Bieber

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Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. is open to extension talks but still hasn’t been approached by the club in that department, he tells Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Chisholm is entering his final year of club control before he’s slated for free agency.

It’s a similar situation to last year, when it seemed Chisholm was more open to talks than the club. Spring training is a common time for clubs to approach players about extensions, so it’s notable that there’s still no momentum in that department.

The Yankees don’t do many extensions in general and may prefer to wait things out in the middle infield. A year from now, it’s possible that prospect George Lombard Jr. has joined Anthony Volpe and José Caballero in the mix. If the Yanks can cover their middle infield spots internally, then they could focus next winter’s resources elsewhere. If not, they could pivot back to Chisholm as a free agent.

Some more camp notes from around the A.L. East…

  • The Rays are going to get Richie Palacios some third base reps this spring, reports Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times. Palacios has mostly played second base and the outfield corners in his career. His third base experience consists of ten innings in 2024. Adding some more versatility could help him carve out a bench role, though he does have an option remaining. Junior Caminero will be Tampa’s regular at third but his defensive grades weren’t great, so it could make sense for him to occasionally serve as the designated hitter or be replaced by a better defender late in some games.
  • The Red Sox are going to have Isiah Kiner-Falefa play some first base in spring, reports Sean McAdam of MassLive. Kiner-Falefa has loads of experience at every position on the diamond except for first base. The Sox have Willson Contreras as their regular first baseman but the depth is banged up. Triston Casas ruptured his left patellar tendon last year and may not be reading for Opening Day. Romy González is also questionable for the opener due to a shoulder injury that recently required a platelet-rich plasma injection. Kiner-Falefa may not be needed there much due to the presence of Contreras but injuries can happen at any time and Kiner-Falefa also mentioned the possibility of pinch running for Contreras on occasion.
  • The Blue Jays may be getting Shane Bieber back sooner than expected, according to manager John Schneider (link via Keegan Matheson of MLB.com). Schneider said that Bieber is “feeling good” throwing from 120 feet and might throw off a mound within two weeks. Last week, it was reported that Bieber would begin the season on the injured list out of an abundance of caution due to forearm fatigue. This update may not change that timeline, but the team has enough rotation depth to take it slow with his ramp-up regardless. A healthy Bieber would slot in behind Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, and Kevin Gausman in the Jays’ rotation. For now, Cody Ponce and Jose Berrios round out the group.

Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images

Red Sox Sign Isiah Kiner-Falefa

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Feb. 10: The Red Sox formally announced the signing of Kiner-Falefa to a one-year deal this morning. Righty Tanner Houck was transferred to the 60-day injured list to open a spot on the 40-man roster. Houck is recovering from August Tommy John surgery and is expected to miss the majority, if not the entirety of the 2026 season.

Feb. 4: The Red Sox reportedly have an agreement with infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa on a one-year contract that guarantees $6MM, pending a physical. There are an additional $500K in incentives available for the ALIGND Sports Agency client. Boston’s 40-man roster will be at capacity after the signing, so no corresponding move is required.

Kiner-Falefa will apparently be the Sox’s answer at second base after they lost Alex Bregman to free agency. Boston kicked around much bigger possibilities on the trade and free agent markets (e.g. Ketel Marte, Brendan Donovan, Isaac Paredes, Bo Bichette) but couldn’t find a deal to their liking. They reportedly prefer to keep Marcelo Mayer at third base and were looking for a quality defensive player whom they could plug in at the keystone.

A former Gold Glove winner, Kiner-Falefa qualifies on that front. He took home the defensive honor at third base as a member of the Rangers in 2020. He’s a plus defender at any of second base, third base or shortstop. He has more experience on the left side of the infield but carries strong marks from Defensive Runs Saved (+12) and Statcast (+2 Outs Above Average) in nearly 600 career innings as a second baseman.

The flip side is that Kiner-Falefa isn’t going to provide much at the plate. He puts the ball in play but has some of the lowest exit velocities in the sport. He has never reached double digits in home runs in a season, nor has he turned in a .700 OPS in any of his eight years in the majors. Kiner-Falefa is coming off a .262/.297/.334 showing across 459 plate appearances between the Pirates and Blue Jays. He’s a .262/.311/.349 hitter in more than 3300 trips to the dish over his career. He’s a solid baserunner despite average speed, stealing double digit bases in each of the past five years.

Second base was a weak point for the Red Sox last year. Kristian Campbell faded after a monster April and was back in Triple-A by the end of June. He posted disastrous defensive grades and no longer seems to be an option at the position. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has suggested a few times they view Campbell primarily as an outfielder. He’s a good enough athlete to have some promise as a defender on the grass, but Boston’s crowded outfield isn’t going to afford him many opportunities until someone suffers an injury.

The Sox used Romy Gonzalez, Ceddanne Rafaela, David Hamilton and Nick Sogard there in the second half and got just a .242/.292/.333 showing down the stretch. Rafaela is an elite defensive outfielder whom the Red Sox prefer to play in center field. Gonzalez hits lefties well but profiles as a short side platoon bat. Hamilton and Sogard are utility players on a team that expects to contend. Kiner-Falefa probably should be as well, yet there weren’t any clear regulars available in free agency at this stage of the offseason.

Kiner-Falefa is a right-handed hitter whose offensive profile doesn’t change regardless of the pitcher’s handedness. Gonzalez should still take the majority of at-bats against lefty pitching. Kiner-Falefa could slide to third on those days if the Sox want to shield Mayer from same-handed opposition. They might also prioritize having him on the field behind ground-ball pitchers like Brayan Bello and Ranger Suárez while plugging Gonzalez in for a little more offense on days when Garrett Crochet or Sonny Gray take the mound.

It appears the Sox had pushed close to their financial comfort zone after signing Suárez and trading for Gray and Willson Contreras. According to RosterResource, this pushes Boston to roughly $263MM in luxury tax commitments. They’re a few days removed from giving up a mid-tier starting pitching prospect, David Sandlin, to dump $16MM of the $24MM remaining on the Jordan Hicks contract on the White Sox. (Boston also picked up minor league pitcher Gage Ziehl in that trade.) If the cash considerations are evenly distributed, they saved $8MM on the 2026 payroll, some of which they’re now reallocating to Kiner-Falefa.

The Sox are above the $244MM first tax threshold. They’re second-time payors who pay a 30% tax on their first $20MM in overages, so they’re currently set for a minimal tax bill. That was also the case last year, as they paid a $1.5MM fee for going nearly $8MM above the line. The tax rate climbs to 42% for spending between $264MM and $284MM. There are no draft penalties associated with going into the second penalization tier, so that’d largely be an arbitrary stopping point if that’s where ownership sets the budget. The Kiner-Falefa signing comes with a $1.8MM tax hit.

Chris Cotillo of MassLive first reported the Red Sox and Kiner-Falefa were nearing a one-year deal. ESPN’s Jeff Passan confirmed an agreement was in place. Cotillo reported the $6MM guarantee and $500K in bonuses.

Image courtesy of Stephen Brashear, Imagn Images.

Red Sox Notes: Infield, Gonzalez, Abreu

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This morning’s surprise acquisition of Caleb Durbin in a six-player trade with the Brewers gave the Red Sox the additional infielder they’ve been coveting but also created questions about the infield alignment. Durbin can play both second base and third base. Both positions are generally unsettled for the Red Sox.

Manager Alex Cora touched on the matter in his first media session of spring, indicating that for the time being, the team isn’t going to commit to one defensive setup just yet (link via Alex Speier of the Boston Globe). Each of Durbin, touted prospect Marcelo Mayer and veteran utilityman Isiah Kiner-Falefa can play either second base or third base.

The situation is further muddied by the fact that infielder Romy Gonzalez is behind schedule due to a shoulder issue that bothered him throughout the offseason (links via MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo and the Globe’s Tim Healey). Gonzalez suffered the injury in Boston’s 160th game of the season. He rested it and rehabbed it throughout the winter and believed the issue to be behind him but instead aggravated it when starting a hitting program last month. He’s since received a platelet-rich plasma injection and is aiming to be ready for Opening Day, but that’ll depend on how his shoulder progresses (or does not progress) during the Grapefruit League schedule.

Whether at second base or third base, Durbin figures to be in the lineup every day. He’s a fine defender at either position and had relatively neutral platoon splits in 2025. Neither he nor Mayer will work at shortstop, per Cora. Trevor Story was always going to get the majority of reps there, but it seems Kiner-Falefa is the primary backup at the moment. If both Story and Kiner-Falefa were to go down with an injury, perhaps the Sox would rethink utilizing Mayer and/or Durbin there, but that’s not in the cards for the time being.

Ideally, Gonzalez would be healthy enough to take regular at-bats against left-handed pitching. He decimated southpaws at a .331/.378/.600 clip in 2025 and owns a lifetime .302/.345/.527 slash against them. Against lefties, the Sox could theoretically go with Gonzalez at second base and Durbin at third base, then switch to a combination of Mayer and Durbin against right-handed opponents. Mayer hit .260/.333/.462 against righties in 2025 (majors and minors combined) but just .230/.260/.378 against left-handers.

Utilitymen Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler, both acquired alongside Durbin, could both factor into the mix as well. Monasterio swings from the right side of the plate and can play all four infield positions. Seigler is a lefty-swinging catcher/infielder who’s played far more second base than catcher in recent seasons. It’s a long shot that either would claim a starting role, but both will be in the mix for bench jobs.

There are still questions in the outfield as well. Much has been made of Boston’s outfield group, which consists of Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu and, to a lesser  extent, Masataka Yoshida. There are more bodies than at-bats to go around. Cora plainly said today that the Red Sox view Abreu as an everyday player and plan to get him at-bats against both lefties and righties (via MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith). They want to keep Rafaela in the outfield as often as possible, too, due to his superlative center field defense.

That’s a departure from the manner in which Abreu has been deployed in the past. The 26-year-old has logged just 145 of his 849 major league plate appearances against lefties (17%) and turned in a bleak .205/.271/.318 slash in that time. A poor spring showing could always change that plan, but it’d be a notable role change for Abreu. If he can improve to even passable but below-average output against southpaws with more exposure, it’d be a boon for the Sox on the defensive side of things, given that Abreu grades out as one of the better right fielders in the game.

If both Rafaela and Abreu are in the outfield most days, that leaves Duran, Anthony and Yoshida in the mix for left field and DH work. Presumably, the bulk of that time will go to Duran and Anthony. Both are superior defenders to Yoshida, and both have performed better at the plate as well.

Yoshida remains a square peg for the Sox’ roster, but he’s owed $36MM over the next two seasons and no team is taking on that sum (or even a notable portion of it). The former NPB star hit .266 last year but with a paltry .307 on-base percentage and just a .388 slugging percentage. By measure of wRC+, he was 12% worse than average at the plate. The Sox could still try to find him some occasional at-bats against right-handed pitching. He’s a career .295/.345/.451 hitter in those spots but has hit lefties at only a .237/.310/.340 pace since coming to MLB. In 755 innings in left field, he’s been dinged for negative marks by both Defensive Runs Saved (-4) and Outs Above Average (-8).

Poll: Who Will Sign Isiah Kiner-Falefa?

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The shortstop market was fairly barren all offseason, with Bo Bichette as the top option available despite him being widely viewed as a player unlikely to stick at the position. Now that pitchers and catchers are just two weeks from reporting, Isiah Kiner-Falefa stands more or less alone on the shortstop market. A glove-first infielder, Kiner-Falefa has a career slash line of just .262/.311/.349 across eight seasons in the majors but has been a consistently valuable asset in spite of that thanks to a quality glove.

He’s coming off a down season with Pittsburgh and Toronto in 2025, hitting .262/.297/.334 (75 wRC+) while his defensive metrics dipped to slightly below average. As spring training approaches, he’s sure to start receiving more interest from contenders with holes in their bench mix and smaller market clubs with holes in their infield. Who’s the best fit for the former Gold Glover? A look at some of the options:

Athletics

The A’s reportedly pursued Nolan Arenado to fill out their infield before backing off when it seemed as though Arenado might wield his no-trade protection to block a deal. Kiner-Falefa’s .279 wOBA last year is just eight points lower than Arenado’s, and FanGraphs rates them as comparably valuable on defense last year. Kiner-Falefa could serve as a veteran anchor to help fill out the infield alongside Jeff McNeil and Jacob Wilson, while also being a player that’s comfortable moving to a utility role if  Max Muncy, Max Schuemann, or Darell Hernaiz breaks out to force the issue.

Atlanta Braves

Ha-Seong Kim is sidelined through at least May, which has changed the outlook of the Braves’ infield mix. Now the team figures to rely on Mauricio Dubon and Jorge Mateo at shortstop to open the season, while also crossing their fingers for rebounds from Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley at second and third base respectively. There’s plenty of upside in that infield, especially if Kim can return healthy and effective later in the year. Kiner-Falefa can provide some stability. If added to the mix, he’d allow Dubon to see more time in the outfield (where he could complement Michael Harris II in center field) and allow the team to lean less heavily on Mateo’s services coming off a 33 wRC+ in 43 games last year. Once Kim returns, Kiner-Falefa could be used as valuable injury insurance given that Riley, Albies, and Kim himself have all contended with plenty of injuries in recent years.

Boston Red Sox

Kiner-Falefa suiting up for the Red Sox would surely come as a disappointment to fans in Boston, as he’d be (at least nominally) replacing Alex Bregman on the infield. The Red Sox have indicated that they might prioritize defense over offense when filling out their infield mix, and being able to mix and match between Marcelo Mayer, David Hamilton, Romy Gonzalez, and Kiner-Falefa on the dirt as needed alongside Trevor Story and Willson Contreras would be a decent budget option if the team fails to land a more notable upgrade. Kiner-Falefa’s ability to play either second or third base could also benefit Mayer, who is a natural shortstop blocked by Story and hasn’t yet been committed to a particular position on the infield for 2026.

Cleveland Guardians

The Guardians could do with an upgrade over Brayan Rocchio and Gabriel Arias up the middle. Rocchio, in particular, posted just 0.4 fWAR last year due to a lackluster 77 wRC+ and below-average defensive metrics at shortstop. Kiner-Falefa wouldn’t be a slam-dunk upgrade but could provide some depth without blocking Travis Bazzana or any of the team’s other young infielders. For a team in need of some serious offensive help, however, Kiner-Falefa wouldn’t really move the needle.

Other Options

The Mariners have flirted with the idea of adding an infielder to keep the seats that will eventually go to Colt Emerson and Cole Young warm, though it should be noted that internal options like Ben Williamson and Leo Rivas may be preferred over adding a more established veteran. The Angels currently have Yoan Moncada, Vaughn Grissom, and Oswald Peraza penciled into their infield. Kiner-Falefa would likely offer a higher floor than any of those players, but Anaheim remains at least theoretically focused on getting Mike Trout back to the postseason and will need to prioritize upside in order to make that happen. The Nationals could view Kiner-Falefa as a worthwhile veteran to add to their infield but may not want to cut playing time away from their young players unless a CJ Abrams deal opens up a spot on the dirt.

Where do MLBTR readers think Kiner-Falefa will eventually land? Could he serve as an affordable starter for a team like the Guardians, A’s, or Nationals? Or would he be better served in a part-time role with a bigger market club like the Braves or Red Sox? Have your say in the poll below:

Where Will Isiah Kiner-Falefa Sign In 2026?

Vote to see results

Blue Jays Notes: Bichette, Scherzer, Defense

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After getting shut down offensively in Game 2 of the World Series, Toronto will get an important bat back in the lineup tonight. Bo Bichette will draw the start at second base for Game 3, batting fourth. “[He] felt good coming out of yesterday,” manager John Schneider told reporters on Sunday, including David Singh of Sportsnet. “I think with each day that goes on, he’ll probably get as close to normal as he can at this stage of the year.”

Bichette made his long-awaited return in Game 1 after missing close to two months with a knee injury. He singled on a 3-0 pitch in his first at-bat. Bichette began Toronto’s game-breaking sixth inning, drawing a walk against Blake Snell to lead off the inning. Isiah Kiner-Falefa replaced him on the bases and came around to score the go-ahead run. Toronto would go on to tag Snell and two relievers with nine runs in the frame.

It was Kiner-Falefa, not Bichette, who drew the start at second base in Game 2. Bichette grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning. He played a couple of innings in the field in relief of Kiner-Falefa. “Seven weeks is a long layoff, so you don’t want to just go back to 100 percent,” Schneider told reporters, including Shi Davidi of Sportsnet, regarding Bichette’s usage.

Bichette is playing second base for the first time at the professional level since 2019 at Triple-A. The early returns have been acceptable, as Bichette has handled the few chances he’s had so far. Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports that Toronto is adjusting their infield strategy to support him. The team is having shortstop Andres Gimenez and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. shade closer to Bichette to provide extra coverage. “I think the positioning part of it plays a big component,” Schneider told Bannon.

Toronto hasn’t had an error in either game of the World Series. They were a middling defense during the regular season, ranking 18th in fielding percentage. The Blue Jays had the 12th-most errors. Kiner-Falefa is known for his defensive ability and is capable of handling multiple infield positions. While he did go 5-for-15 in the ALCS, the utilityman is hitless so far against the Dodgers. Getting Bichette’s bat in the mix will be a boost, especially after Yoshinobu Yamamoto silenced the lineup on Saturday. Kiner-Falefa is a candidate to replace Bichette on the bases or in the field in a late-game situation.

The Blue Jays will send Max Scherzer to the bump on Monday. Schneider is expecting the same intensity he showed in Game 4 of the ALCS. “Wonder how many coaches he’ll knock over tonight,” Schneider told reporters, including Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. The fiery right-hander had a handful of animated moments during his last outing, a near-quality start against Seattle. Scherzer allowed two earned runs over 5 2/3 innings to earn the win and knot the series at 2-2.

Scherzer’s appearance for Toronto tonight will make him the first player to pitch for four different teams in the World Series, per MLB. The 40-year-old also made Fall Classic starts for Detroit, Washington, and Texas, winning the title with the latter two teams.

Scherzer came into the postseason in a rut, giving up 17 earned runs over 15 innings to close the regular season. He did not make the ALDS roster, with Schneider citing the matchup against the Yankees as the reason for the veteran’s omission. Scherzer tossed a quality start in his lone appearance against the Dodgers this season, holding them to two earned runs over six innings in early September.

Blue Jays Select Dillon Tate

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As active rosters expand from 26 to 28 today, the Blue Jays are selecting right-hander Dillon Tate. The other spot will be taken by infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who was claimed off waivers from the Pirates yesterday. To add Tate to the 40-man, the Blue Jays transferred righty Nick Sandlin to the 60-day injured list. Mitch Bannon of The Athletic was among those to relay the moves.

Tate, 31, signed a split deal with the Jays earlier this year. That pact pays him at a $1.4MM rate in the big leagues and a $500K pace while in the minors. He spent the early parts of the year getting shuffled between the majors and Triple-A Buffalo. In May, he was outrighted off the 40-man. Since he has at least three years of service time, he could have elected free agency. But since he was shy of five years of service, he would have had to forfeit his remaining salary commitments in exercising that right.

He understandably accepted and has been put back on the roster today. He has thrown 35 Triple-A innings with a 2.06 earned run average this year. His 12.7% walk rate is on the high side but his 22.7% strikeout rate is decent and his 47.9% ground ball rate is strong. He has seemingly benefitted from an 85.8% strand rate, which is why his 3.74 FIP is far higher than his ERA, but that’s still a decent number.

The Jays also have Braydon Fisher, Mason Fluharty, Paxton Schultz and Justin Bruihl on the 40-man but weren’t able to recall any of them since they were all optioned recently. An optional assignment for a pitcher comes with a 15-day minimum, unless someone is going on the injured list. Fisher was the one optioned longest ago, back on August 21st, so he’ll be eligible to be recalled later this week.

Tate is still optionable but is 11 days away from the five-year service marker, at which point he could not be optioned without his consent. Fisher pitched pretty well for the Jays earlier this year but was squeezed down to the minors when Shane Bieber was activated from the injured list. Perhaps Fisher will be recalled once eligible and Tate sent back to serve as a depth role in Buffalo. For now, he’ll give Toronto a fresh arm for a bullpen which saw heavy usage over the weekend.

As for Sandlin, he landed on the 15-day IL due to right elbow inflammation on July 8th. This transfer is retroactive to that date, so he’ll be eligible for reinstatement in the next few days, though he won’t be healthy by then. Per Hazel Mae of Sportsnet, he just had another injection in his elbow as he tries to get back on the mound. Whenever he’s healthy, he’ll presumably need a few weeks to ramp back up to full strength.

Photo courtesy of Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Blue Jays Claim Isiah Kiner-Falefa

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The Blue Jays have claimed utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa off waivers from the Pirates, as reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Toronto subsequently announced the move and transferred right-hander Yimi Garcia to the 60-day injured list in order to create a 40-man roster spot for Kiner-Falefa.

It’s a homecoming for Kiner-Falefa, who signed with Toronto prior to the 2024 season but was traded to Pittsburgh at last year’s trade deadline. Just over a year later, he’s headed back to the Blue Jays to join the team’s bench for the playoff push. Unlike last year, Toronto is firmly in playoff position with a two-game lead in the AL East. While Kiner-Falefa was a regular fixture on the club’s infield during his first stint with the organization, that’s unlikely to be the case this season given that Andres Gimenez has taken over the everyday second base job while Ernie Clement and Addison Barger have split time at the hot corner.

Of course, Kiner-Falefa isn’t having quite as strong of a season this year as he was when Toronto traded him last year. In 83 games with the Blue Jays in 2024, the utility man slashed an excellent .292/.338/.400 (113 wRC+) while playing superlative defense on the infield for the club. He showed uncharacteristic power in those games, swatting seven homers in just 281 plate appearances, and kept his strikeouts to just a 13.2% clip. That hot stretch caught the attention of the Pirates as they looked to make modest upgrades to their offense last year, but Kiner-Falefa regressed badly and hit just .256/.288/.328 (70 wRC+) across his 169 games in a Pirates uniform.

That production is more befitting of a bench role, but on a weak Pirates offense that had already moved Oneil Cruz to center field last year and traded away Ke’Bryan Hayes at this summer’s deadline, it was enough to earn Kiner-Falefa everyday reps. Perhaps now that the 30-year-old is back in an organization he had considerable success with and will be able to step back into a smaller role, he’ll be able to rediscover the form that made him such an attractive trade piece last summer. Kiner-Falefa could certainly push himself into additional playing time if his performance warrants it; while Barger is unlikely to lose at-bats to the utility man given his strong season this year, he could simply spend more time in right field going forward if the Jays want to get Kiner-Falefa into the lineup more often.

From the Pirates perspective, the move opens up playing time for newly promoted infielder Cam Devanney. Perhaps more importantly in the eyes of Pittsburgh brass, the Blue Jays will take on the remainder of Kiner-Falefa’s $7.5MM salary for the 2025 season. Perhaps that money, as well as other funds saved by trading players like Hayes this summer, will be put towards upgrading the offense this winter.

As for Garcia, the news that he’s been placed on the 60-day injured list is hardly a surprise given that he underwent season-ending elbow surgery on Friday. Garcia finishes the 2025 campaign with a 3.86 ERA and 3.83 FIP in 21 innings of work, and the Jays will have to rely on other veterans in the bullpen like Jeff Hoffman and Seranthony Dominguez to make up for Garcia’s absence.

Pirates Place Isiah Kiner-Falefa On Outright Waivers

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The Pirates have placed veteran infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa on outright waivers, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. He’ll be available to all 29 other clubs, with waiver priority determined based on the reverse order of the MLB-wide standings. (Outright waiver priority is not league-specific like the now-defunct revocable August trade waivers were.)

Because he has not been designated for assignment, Kiner-Falefa can continue to play while on waivers. If another team claims him, which seems plausible, he’d be postseason-eligible because he’d join that club before Sept. 1. (Waivers are a 48-hour process.) He’s being paid $7.5MM this season, with about $1.21MM of that sum yet to be paid out.

The Pirates do not have to assign him outright to a minor league affiliate if he goes unclaimed. They could do so if they choose, but Kiner-Falefa would have the right to then elect free agency and retain the remainder of his guaranteed money. They could also opt to simply release Kiner-Falefa if he goes unclaimed, as the Guardians did with veteran first baseman Carlos Santana, which would give him one more chance to jump into a playoff hunt between now and season’s end.

In 419 plate appearances, Kiner-Falefa is batting .268/.304/.337. It’s a light batting line (78 wRC+), but he’s gone 15-for-19 in stolen base attempts and played a respectable shortstop this season. Kiner-Falefa is a versatile defender with experience at short, second base, third base and all three outfield spots.

The Pirates somewhat surprisingly didn’t trade Kiner-Falefa at the deadline. Presumably, his middling offensive contributions didn’t garner strong interest. However, as teams gear up for the stretch run and look to deepen their benches, Kiner-Falefa’s brand of speed, contact (15.5% strikeout rate) and defensive versatility could hold appeal. He’s struggling quite a bit against lefties this year, despite being a right-handed bat, but he entered the season with more or less neutral platoon splits in his career.

For the Bucs, the waiver route presents an opportunity to trim some payroll and to afford a veteran player the opportunity to join a postseason chase in the season’s final month. By waiting until the end of the month to make the move, they made it as affordable as possible for teams with interest in claiming him. Kiner-Falefa’s contract does contain $250K bonuses for reaching 500 and 550 plate appearances, but he’s 81 shy of that mark right now thanks largely to a monthlong stay on the IL for a hamstring strain back in April/May.

If another club claims Kiner-Falefa, it’d open more at-bats for younger infield options. There’s no way the Bucs would call up 19-year-old Konnor Griffin, currently ranked as MLB’s top prospect, when he has just eight games above A-ball to his credit right now, but they could give some reps to former trade acquisitions like Nick Yorke or Cam Devanney in the season’s final month.

Cherington: Pirates Expect To Pursue Infield Help In Offseason

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The Pirates’ 2026 infield figures to look considerably different than the group that’s been trotted out for much of the season. Pittsburgh succeeded in shedding all of the money owed to third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes beyond the current season when they shipped him to the Reds prior to the trade deadline, and veteran Isiah Kiner-Falefa is a free agent at season’s end. The Bucs have plenty of young infielders who could step up and get looks next year, but general manager Ben Cherington acknowledged this weekend that some offseason additions could be on the horizon (link via Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review).

Though he didn’t make any definitive declarations, Cherington noted that he “would expect we would” add to the infield in some capacity. That comment came amid a broader discussion of Jared Triolo’s defensive versatility. Triolo isn’t hitting at all this season but has played quality defense at first base, second base and third base while even showing the ability to handle shortstop on occasion. Cherington suggested that Triolo “at least … part of a shortstop solution” as an option the Pirates could consider.

Triolo’s ability to play anywhere at a relatively high defensive level is a nice perk, but if he’s to be a real part of the Bucs’ solution around the infield, he’ll need to show more offense. The 27-year-old instilled hope in Pirates fans with a .298/.388/.398 slash in 209 plate appearances as a rookie in 2023, but that production was propped up by a colossal .440 average on balls in play. Triolo has predictably regressed since that time, recording just a .204/.290/.304 line (67 wRC+) in a much larger sample of 641 plate appearances.

Developing hitters has been an immense struggle for Pittsburgh — a problem that spans multiple front office leaders and multiple iterations of the dugout staff. The emergence of recurring back injuries for Hayes has played a part in that, but he’s just one of several notable Pirates position prospects who simply haven’t been able to hit in the majors.

Henry Davis, Liover Peguero, Travis Swaggerty, Endy Rodriguez and Ji Hwan Bae have all struggled upon reaching the majors. Nick Gonzales has been a bit better than league average at the plate this season, which makes him one of the system’s most prominent success stories in recent years. Other top prospects like Termarr Johnson and Lonnie White Jr. have seen their stock take a major hit as their bats have slowed in recent minor league seasons.

The lack of development among the team’s young position players leaves the Pirates with glaring needs up and down the roster. Among Pirates hitters with at least 100 plate appearances this season, only Gonzales (104 wRC+) and Spencer Horwitz (102 wRC+) have provided even average offensive output. Oneil Cruz was hot earlier in the season but has fallen off considerably since early June.

It leaves the left side of the infield, in particular, wide open. Kiner-Falefa spoke to Gorman and indicated an openness to returning, perhaps with more time at the hot corner, but said he’ll leave any such discussions to his agent and Cherington in the offseason.

The Pirates do have some hope on the horizon —  and meaningful hope, at that. Nineteen-year-old Konnor Griffin currently ranks as the No. 1 prospect in the entire sport over at Baseball America. Last year’s No. 9 overall pick has split the season between Class-A and High-A, hitting a combined .332/.410/.532 with 16 home runs and 53 steals in 438 plate appearances — all against older and more advance competition. It seems unlikely that he’d be pushed to the majors early next year, but later on in the 2026 season and certainly in 2027, Griffin could be an option at shortstop if he can remain healthy and if the Pirates can finish off his development in a way that’s eluded them with countless other prospects.

Pittsburgh was never going to make a play for a multi-year option at shortstop in free agency anyhow. As MLBTR’s Contract Tracker shows, the Bucs haven’t signed any free agent to a multi-year deal since giving a three-year contract to righty Ivan Nova back in December of 2016. In general, it’s a light class for free agent infielders anyhow, with Bo Bichette and Alex Bregman standing head and shoulders above the rest of the group (and, obviously, miles out of the Pirates’ financial comfort zone). Eugenio Suárez will be a free agent as well, but he’ll be well beyond the Pirates’ comfort levels.

That said, exploring the trade market will be a feasible option. The Pirates are deep in young pitching. Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler won’t be going anywhere, but Pittsburgh also has names like Mike Burrows, Braxton Ashcraft, Thomas Harrington, Johan Oviedo, Hunter Barco and, of course, veteran Mitch Keller as options to potentially bring in some infield talent at either left-side position. Any help would be sorely needed.

Pirates shortstops this season have combined for an awful .246/.292/.315, translating to a 69 wRC+ (i.e. 31% worse than league-average at the plate) that ranks 27th in MLB. Third base has been even worse. Hayes, Kiner-Falefa and Triolo have combined to hit .229/.280/.299 while manning the hot corner. No team in baseball has a lower wRC+ from their collective group of third basemen than Pittsburgh’s 60. The Reds — the team that acquired Hayes — are next-lowest at 65.

Giants Have Shown Interest In Isiah Kiner-Falefa

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The Giants have reached out to the Pirates about infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa, reports Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He’s presumably just one of several options being considered by a San Francisco club that has a notable need at second base.

Kiner-Falefa, 30, is hitting .274/.318/.340 on the season. He’s been about 16% worse than average at the plate, by measure of wRC+, but has offered value with his legs (12-for-15 in stolen base attempts) and glove. He’s also a tough strikeout, fanning in just over 16% of his plate appearances.

Though Kiner-Falefa isn’t enjoying his best season at the plate, there’s a low bar to clear at second base in San Francisco. Giants second basemen have combined for a .217/.275/.309 slash on the season — one of the least-productive groups in all of baseball. Last year’s breakout infielder, Tyler Fitzgerald, has struggled badly at the position and was optioned to Triple-A in late June. None of Christian Koss, Casey Schmitt or Brett Wisely has provided more offense when manning the position, and Fitzgerald has slashed just .246/.323/.281 in 65 plate appearances since being sent down.

Kiner-Falefa is in the second season of a two-year, $15MM deal originally signed with the Blue Jays. Toronto traded him to Pittsburgh at last year’s deadline. He’s been the primary shortstop for the Bucs this year but has experience playing all over the diamond, including more than 1500 innings at third base and more than 550 innings both at second base and in the outfield. Kiner-Falefa’s defensive marks in the outfield and during a brief experiment behind the plate are poor, but he’s considered a strong infield defender.

Given his status as an impending free agent on a last-place team that’s one of the few clear sellers around the league, Kiner-Falefa feels all but certain to be traded in the next nine days. The Pirates don’t have a prospect who’s knocking down the door for everyday reps at shortstop, but they can use the final two months of the season to look at Cam Devanney (acquired last week from the Royals in exchange for Adam Frazier) or perhaps any other infielders they might acquire as they continue what feels like an interminable rebuilding process.

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