Article: Blue Jays Bring Isiah Kiner-Falefa Back Into the Fold

[Leo Morgenstern]

After just over a year in Pittsburgh, Isiah Kiner-Falefa is coming back to Toronto. The Pirates placed the utility man on outright waivers on Friday, hoping to get his remaining salary off their books. The Blue Jays put in a claim. They opened a spot on their 40-man roster by transferring Yimi García (elbow surgery) to the 60-day IL, and they will be able to add Kiner-Falefa to the big league roster today when active rosters increase from 26 to 28.

The Blue Jays signed Kiner-Falefa to a two-year, $15 million deal during the 2023-24 offseason, and he took the field at third base on Opening Day 2024. Over the next three months, he produced some of the best numbers of his career, slashing .292/.338/.420 (117 wRC+) in 83 games, all while showing off his excellent defense at second base, third base, and shortstop. 

Unfortunately, a left knee sprain interrupted Kiner-Falefa's strong season and forced him to the injured list in July. Despite that, the Jays were still able to sell high on their biggest offseason signing, flipping IKF and cash to the Pirates for third base prospect Charles McAdoo.

On the day the Pirates traded for Kiner-Falefa, they were 55-52, putting them just two games back of the final NL Wild Card spot. As for the Blue Jays, a 51-58 record had them sitting last in the AL East and 8.5 games back of a postseason berth. 

In hindsight, the Blue Jays pulled off a steal. Kiner-Falefa saw his numbers come crashing down, while the Pirates plummeted in the NL standings. He finished with a .269/.306/.376 slash line (93 wRC+), and the Pirates finished 76-88 – only two games better than the Blue Jays. This year, the Pirates are basement-dwellers once again, while the Blue Jays have climbed back atop the AL East. McAdoo, Jays Centre's No. 17 prospect, is enjoying a promising year with Double-A New Hampshire. Finally, as a cherry on top, the Jays have taken Kiner-Falefa back from the Pirates, and all it will cost them is what's left of his salary – a salary they were more than willing to pay when they signed him in the first place, and of which they were already paying a small portion anyway, as part of the terms of their initial trade with Pittsburgh. 

Kiner-Falefa is unlikely to hit the way he did during his first stint in Toronto; he's currently slashing .264/.300/.332 with a 75 wRC+. But, of course, it's not as if the Blue Jays were ever interested in him for his bat. In the three seasons before he signed with the Jays (2021-23), he hit .261/.311/.343 with an 83 wRC+. Only one hitter had more plate appearances and a lower wRC+ in that span, and, funnily enough, he's a Blue Jay now as well: Myles Straw.

Kiner-Falefa, like Straw, is a Gold Glove-winning defender, and excellent defense is precisely what the Blue Jays want to see from him in September and October. Anything he can offer at the plate is just a bonus. He is a better defensive option at second base than Davis Schneider and a better defensive option at third base than Addison Barger. In other words, he is a second Ernie Clement. If John Schneider wants to keep Andrés Giménez out of the lineup against a left-handed starter, he will still have two strong defensive players to position on either side of Bo Bichette. Kiner-Falefa can also play the outfield if necessary. He shouldn't have to do so very often, but – at risk of sounding like a broken record – he's a better defensive choice than George Springer. If Schneider wants to sit the lefties Barger, Daulton Varsho, and Nathan Lukes, he can run an all-righty outfield while keeping Springer at DH. 

For little more than the loose change left in their pockets, the Blue Jays made a stellar defense even stronger. Claiming Kiner-Falefa off waivers isn't the move that's going to make or break this club come October. Still, it was a nice pickup to make one of the most well-rounded teams in the AL even more complete.

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