Welcome back to the 2025-26 edition of Smash or Pass, in which we examine potential free agent and trade targets to determine whether the Red Sox should pursue them and what it would take to land them. Today we look at someone who could fill a hole in the 2026 infield.

Who is he and where does he come from?

He’s Isaiah Kiner-Falefa, or IKF for short. The former Yankee also spent time in Texas and Toronto before signing a 2-year, 15 million dollar year with the Blue Jays, who then traded him to the Pirates at that trade deadline. He was then claimed off waivers by the Jays to mark his second stint with the team in as many years. He’s a shortstop primarily, but has also spent considerable time at second base and third base in his seven-year career. This is notable because Trevor Story is for sure returning to the team in 2026 and Alex Bregman may not, which raises some question marks around where Marcelo Mayer will be placed as his career continues to blossom, as well as the standing of Kristian Campbell, who sure doesn’t look like an infielder.

Yeah, he’s fine! But, depending on what you’re counting on, he’s either really good or really, uh, not so much. If you were just looking at offensive stats, the case for IKF is not there. He ranks in the lowest tenth percentile in nearly every batting category you can measure, including slugging percentage, exit velocity, barrel and hard hit percentages, bat speed and walk rate. He has almost no isolated power to speak of (.072 in 2025.) He’s about as underwhelming at the plate as you can possibly get and have a sturdy career and a sturdy slashline: in his career, that has been .262/.311/.349.

But his defensive acumen makes up for almost all of that, since he still is a guy who can get some singles or advance some runners at the bottom of the lineup even with the absence of anything with any more power. He’s versatile in the field, and, more importantly, sound in the field. He committed just nine errors in 2025, which is an upgrade by the Red Sox’s standards.

However, I’d be remiss not to address perhaps the biggest reason why IKF won’t be returning to the Blue Jays in 2026. In case you forgot, the 30-year-old right-handed batter was a pinch runner in the bottom of the ninth against the Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series. No big deal! Except, his lack of a secondary lead, opting to not risk getting cut off at third during Daulton Varsho’s at-bat, and thus getting caught by just one step at the plate on the ensuing play, was a direct factor in the Blue Jays not ultimately securing the World Series. These are mistakes that end up haunting guys, so it remains a possibility that IKF may, as a result, turn what’s been a strength of his into something he plays far too loose in the immediate future.

Tl;dr, just give me his 2025 stats.

138 G, 9 E, .262/.297/.334, 2 HR, 77 K, 17 BB

Show me a cool highlight.

After KeBryan Hayes overran an infield pop-up, Kiner-Falefa had to make a heads up play to know where his runners were and where the ball would end up after Hayes’ mental error. And the tag proved he knew both.

Why would he be a good fit on the Red Sox?

I’ll keep it simple: in 2025, this team finished last defensively despite making the playoffs. If they want a serious run in 2026, they need defensively sound players.

Why would he not be a good fit on the Red Sox?

I’ll again keep it simple: the team signing IKF would signify that Alex Bregman will not be returning. Even with a returning Triston Casas, the team cannot take on that decline in power without a clear replacement.

It’s likely the price tag for IKF would likely not exceed 6 million dollars, which is fine for a player with proven defensive skills. But, as what may become the theme of the offseason, there may be something to be said for keeping a player like IKF either at bay with a short-term deal or off the roster as a player like Franklin Arias approaches the Major League roster and a player like Kristian Campbell, a guy already making a couple million, defines his place in the organization.

This is going to be another pass. And one hopes that the team will not put themselves in the situation where a replacement-level player will be a consolation option when an All-Star and proven champion was among his ranks just last year. Get the Bregman deal done, Craig!