Welcome again to the 2025-26 version of Smash or Pass, during which we study potential free agent and commerce targets to find out whether or not the Purple Sox ought to pursue them and what it might take to land them. Right now we have a look at somebody who might fill a gap within the 2026 infield.
Who’s he and the place does he come from?
He’s Isaiah Kiner-Falefa, or IKF for brief. The previous Yankee additionally hung out in Texas and Toronto earlier than signing a 2-year, 15 million greenback yr with the Blue Jays, who then traded him to the Pirates at that commerce deadline. He was then claimed off waivers by the Jays to mark his second stint with the crew in as a few years. He’s a shortstop primarily, however has additionally spent appreciable time at second base and third base in his seven-year profession. That is notable as a result of Trevor Story is for positive returning to the crew in 2026 and Alex Bregman might not, which raises some query marks round the place Marcelo Mayer will likely be positioned as his profession continues to blossom, in addition to the standing of Kristian Campbell, who positive doesn’t appear to be an infielder.
Yeah, he’s high quality! However, relying on what you’re relying on, he’s both actually good or actually, uh, not a lot. Should you had been simply taking a look at offensive stats, the case for IKF just isn’t there. He ranks within the lowest tenth percentile in almost each batting class you possibly can measure, together with slugging share, exit velocity, barrel and laborious hit percentages, bat pace and stroll fee. He has virtually no remoted energy to talk of (.072 in 2025.) He’s about as underwhelming on the plate as you possibly can probably get and have a sturdy profession and a sturdy slashline: in his profession, that has been .262/.311/.349.
However his defensive acumen makes up for nearly all of that, since he nonetheless is a man who can get some singles or advance some runners on the backside of the lineup even with the absence of something with any extra energy. He’s versatile within the discipline, and, extra importantly, sound within the discipline. He dedicated simply 9 errors in 2025, which is an improve by the Purple Sox’s requirements.
Nevertheless, I’d be remiss to not handle maybe the largest purpose why IKF received’t be returning to the Blue Jays in 2026. In case you forgot, the 30-year-old right-handed batter was a pinch runner within the backside of the ninth in opposition to the Dodgers in Sport 7 of the World Sequence. No huge deal! Besides, his lack of a secondary lead, opting to not threat getting lower off at third throughout Daulton Varsho’s at-bat, and thus getting caught by only one step on the plate on the following play, was a direct issue within the Blue Jays not finally securing the World Sequence. These are errors that find yourself haunting guys, so it stays a risk that IKF might, in consequence, flip what’s been a energy of his into one thing he performs far too unfastened within the quick future.
Tl;dr, simply give me his 2025 stats.
138 G, 9 E, .262/.297/.334, 2 HR, 77 Okay, 17 BB
Present me a cool spotlight.
After KeBryan Hayes overran an infield pop-up, Kiner-Falefa needed to make a heads up play to know the place his runners had been and the place the ball would find yourself after Hayes’ psychological error. And the tag proved he knew each.
Why would he be a great match on the Purple Sox?
I’ll maintain it easy: in 2025, this crew completed final defensively regardless of making the playoffs. If they need a severe run in 2026, they want defensively sound gamers.
Why would he not be a great match on the Purple Sox?
I’ll once more maintain it easy: the crew signing IKF would signify that Alex Bregman is not going to be returning. Even with a returning Triston Casas, the crew can’t tackle that decline in energy with no clear substitute.
It’s probably the worth tag for IKF would probably not exceed 6 million {dollars}, which is ok for a participant with confirmed defensive expertise. However, as what might change into the theme of the offseason, there could also be one thing to be stated for maintaining a participant like IKF both at bay with a short-term deal or off the roster as a participant like Franklin Arias approaches the Main League roster and a participant like Kristian Campbell, a man already making a pair million, defines his place within the group.
That is going to be one other cross. And one hopes that the crew is not going to put themselves within the scenario the place a replacement-level participant will likely be a comfort possibility when an All-Star and confirmed champion was amongst his ranks simply final yr. Get the Bregman deal performed, Craig!
