Wednesday was a busy one for the Red Sox: the 40-man roster is full once more (IKF and Mickey Gasper) and the team is, presumably, set. There are question marks remaining, like where Marcelo Mayer will play or what level Triston Casas begins the season at, or if, at this late stage, they trade an outfielder.
In the meantime, we have a new player to talk, think, and write about: Isiah Kiner-Falefa. I’d been saving “where did you come from, where did you go, why’d Breslow sign you, Connor Joe” all winter and that didn’t happen, so let’s break down the frivolities of IKF.
Kiner-Falefa has player in eight big league seasons. His career slash line is .262/.311/.349. He’s hit between .261 and .271 five times. His highest batting average was .280 and his lowest .238. He’s never posted an OPS of .700 or more in a full season (when traded, he has done so during parts of seasons).
He’s stolen double-digit bases in each of the last five seasons.
He’s never hit more than eight home runs, which he’s done twice.
He’s had at least one triple ever year except 2022 when he played 142 games — the second highest total of his career.
He spent four years with the Texas Rangers and then (parts of) two seasons with the Yankees, Pirates, and Blue Jays.
In December 2023, Kiner-Falefa signed with the Toronto Blue Jays.
At the deadline in 2024, the Jays traded him to the Pirates for a minor league infielder (Charles McAdoo) who plays second and third plus some right field. IKF has played mostly shortstop, third, and second but you get the point.
On August 31, 2025 the Blue Jays claimed him off waivers and he got 60 plate appearances in the postseason including 18 in the 2025 World Series.
Over three seasons (6.2 innings), IKF has a 1:2 K:B and an ERA of 2.70.
He relies on two pitches:
The key is locating the eephus and fastball in the same area of the box.
Will he become Alex Cora’s default position player pitcher? If Marcelo Mayer and Romy Gonzalez are healthy and effective, that’s one more reason to hang onto a roster spot. Defensive flexibility being the primary one.
Against the Red Sox he’s been just about as average to himself as he can be: .254/.305/.387 over 54 games.
At Fenway Park specifically he’s struggled: .228/.282/.304. Although a sample of just 23 games, like his history facing Boston, is relatively meaningless.
He won a Gold Glove in 2020 at third base. Some of that infield defense Craig Breslow was talking about!
He was born in Hawaii. The Red Sox singed a guy from Hawaii before…it went well.