A popular former New York Yankees shortstop could soon be on the move.
Infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa was placed on outright waivers Friday by the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The 30-year-old utilityman is slashing .268/.304/.337 with one home run and 35 RBI in 117 games for the Pirates this season. He also has 15 stolen bases, which ranks second on the team behind center fielder Oneil Cruz (35).
Kiner-Falefa, popularly known as “IKF,” spent two seasons with the Yankees (2022-23) and was among the bats they discussed prior to the July 31 trade deadline before swinging a deal for Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon.
Why Was Isiah Kiner-Falefa Placed on Outright Waivers?
Kiner-Falefa can continue to play for Pittsburgh while on waivers. He is in the second year of a two-year, $15 million contract he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays during the 2023 offseason. If another team claims him, they would be on the hook for the remaining $1.2 million on his deal. His contract also contains $250,000 bonuses for 500 and 550 plate appearances this season.
The notoriously frugal Pirates — whose Opening Day payroll of $87.8 million ranked 26th in baseball — certainly wouldn’t shedding a few more bucks in another lost season. The Pirates entered Friday last in the NL Central at 59-76, 24 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers.
Should Kiner-Falefa go unclaimed, the Pirates could either assign him to the minor leagues or simply release him, as the Cleveland Guardians did Thursday with first baseman Carlos Santana.
The timing allows Kiner-Falefa to join a contender before Sept. 1 so he can be eligible to play in the postseason.
Will the Yankees Be Interested in Isiah Kiner-Falefa?
In 2022, his first season in New York, Kiner-Falefa hit .261 with four homers, 48 RBI and 22 stolen bases in 142 games. Across 113 games the following season, Kiner-Falefa batted .242 with six homers, 37 RBI and 14 stolen bases.
According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, the Yankees explored reuniting with Kiner-Falefa last month in their search to lengthen the lineup.
Now that Kiner-Falefa is available again at a lesser cost, it’s entirely possible the Yankees pivot back his way. But they likely won’t be the only team interested.
Kiner-Falefa has been the Pirates’ primary third baseman since Ke’Bryan Hayes was traded but is capable of playing all over the diamond, including even catcher.
While Kiner-Falefa likely wouldn’t need to start in New York, he could be a valuable backup given Anthony Volpe’s struggles at shortstop. The former top prospect leads the AL with 17 errors.
Entering Friday, the Yankees (74-60) trailed the first-place Blue Jays by four games in the AL East but were two games ahead of the second wild card.
Former Yankees Starting Shortstop Waived by Pirates