Red Sox should be a hard pass on Yankees infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa
The Red Sox are still searching for infield depth as the club enters Spring Training. The Yankees have some depth they maybe willing to trade. So does it make sense for the two sides to swing a deal that’ll send Isiah Kiner-Falefa to Boston?
The former Gold Glover would fill a void for the Red Sox. With Kiké Hernandez, Christian Arroyo and Adalberto Mondesi on the major league roster, Boston would benefit from another reliable infielder.
Kiner-Falefa isn’t exactly a great hitter, last season he hit .261 with 126 hits, 20 doubles, four homers, 48 RBIs with a .642 OPS. Offensively, the Red Sox would be better suited to see what they have internally before giving up any trade capital in a deal with the Bronx Bombers.
Yankees fans have been trying to trade Kiner-Falefa on social media for months now. Mainly because he’s been a massive disappointment since he put on the Yankees pinstripes. This season Kiner-Falefa will be owed $6 million this season.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone still thinks that Kiner-Falefa can be a viable shortstop.
“With IKF, we feel like we have a guy capable of being a starting big-league shortstop. He could also fit in from a versatility standpoint with all he brings to the table moving positions. But we’ll let that shake out throughout the spring training. And then it continues to show itself throughout the season,” said Boone to told YES Network’s Jack Curry.
Kiner-Falefa has fallen out of favor in New York. The Yankees are more inclined to go with a youth movement with the likes of Oswaldo Perez and Anthony Volpe.
Trading for Kiner-Falefa fills the void of adding another infielder to the mix for Boston. His $6 million price tag isn’t worth the gamble. The Sox would be better suited by signing Elvis Andrus or Jose Iglesias.
The only way Boston should entertain a deal for IKF is if it’s similar to the Adam Ottavino deal from a few seasons ago. If Bloom can add a prospect along with having to take on his $6 million salary, it’s worth entertaining. In the grand scheme of things, the Red Sox can do better than Kiner-Falefa. Boston should be a hard pass on IKF.
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