Utility player Isiah Kiner-Falefa and the Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a two-year, $15 million contract, which includes $1 million in incentives. He played for the New York Yankees last season, batting .242 with 79 hits, 37 runs batted in, and six home runs in 326 at-bats.
While his numbers are not eye-popping, his versatility could become a vital asset for the Blue Jays. As the Codify Twitter account pointed out, he played 278 innings at center field, 248 at left field, and 40 at right field for the Yankees during the 2023 Major League Baseball season.
Just 0.0 WAR last year according to @baseball_ref and 0.2 WAR last year according to @fangraphs ...
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) December 27, 2023
...but 278 innings in center field, 248 innings in left field, 240 innings at third base, 40 innings in right field, eight innings at shortstop, one inning at second base, and even 4… https://t.co/wlRc2DfTgR
He also played 240 innings at third base, eight innings at shortstop, one inning at second base, and pitched four innings for New York. Kiner-Falefa had a 2.25 earned run average, giving up one run and four hits.
Kiner-Falefa started his MLB career in 2018 with the Texas Rangers. He played four seasons for the American League West squad and became a Gold Glove winner in 2020. That year, he had a .957 fielding percentage at third base and a 1.000 percentage at shortstop. Kiner-Falefa had a combined 44 putouts and 110 assists in both positions.
Before the 2022 season, the Rangers traded him and Ronnie Henriquez to the Minnesota Twins for Mitch Garver. The following day, he was sent to the Yankees with Ben Rortvedt and Josh Donaldson for Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela.
Kiner-Falefa batted .261 in his first season with New York. He became the first Yankees player since Didi Gregorius (2016) to steal home base. He also became the first Yankees pitcher to hit a home run since Lindy McDaniel in 1972.
His signing comes after the Blue Jays re-signed four-time Gold Glove winner Kevin Kiermaier to a one-year, $10.5 million deal.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa is the second cousin twice removed of National Baseball Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner, who played ten seasons in the majors. After his playing days, Kiner had a broadcasting career that spanned five decades.
-Lance Fernandez