Isiah Kiner-falefa
YEARTEAMGABRHitsRBIDTHRBBSOSBCSEAVGOBPSLUG
2019Trolleys44157104015120013310090.2550.3160.331
2020Trolleys619361100250000.3160.4090.368
2021Trolleys8028025612655420534120.2180.2720.314
2022Trolleys69202175376023302030.2620.2770.322
2023Trolleys6813316431513015212030.3230.3570.444
2024Trolleys99312245720111427757350.1830.2570.263
2025Trolleys2480820101112142220.2500.2680.325
MLB Player Data
DateNewsComment
Jun 29 2025Kiner-Falefa is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will head to the bench after a run of 17 straight starts, during which he struggled to a .200/.237/.255 slash line at the plate. Jared Triolo will fill in at shortstop Sunday for the Buccos.
Jun 24 2025Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-3 with a triple, an RBI and a walk Monday against the Brewers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Faelfa delivered the game-winning run on an RBI triple in the sixth inning, his first extra-base hit since June 10. He's had a tough month, going 13-for-64 with five RBI, one stolen base and one run scored across 20 games. Despite the struggles, Kiner-Falefa remains the Pirates' everyday shortstop.
May 28 2025Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and three runs scored in Wednesday's 10-1 win over the Diamondbacks. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa helped spark a late surge from the Pirates' offense, reaching base and scoring in the fifth, sixth, and eighth innings. Since returning from the injured list May 12, the shortstop has slashed .327/.362/.473 with six extra-base hits, six RBI, nine runs scored and two steals. He's had a quietly productive season, slashing .297/.343/.381 with one home run, 13 RBI, 20 runs scored and eight steals across 167 plate appearances.
May 12 2025Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's 4-3 loss to the Mets. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa slashed .302/.327/.377 with two stolen bases and three RBI in the 15 games prior to his stint on the 10-day injured list due to a right hamstring strain. He picked up where he left off Monday, smashing a solo home run to left-center field off David Peterson in the second frame. Kiner-Falefa added a single in the sixth frame to log his seventh multi-hit game of the season, and he has a career-best .704 OPS over 113 plate appearances this year.
May 10 2025Kiner-Falefa (hamstring) has resumed baseball activity and is expected to run the bases this weekend, MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has been sidelined since early May with a right hamstring strain, though he was never expected to be out long. He's eligible to return Sunday, but he may need a few additional days before being activated.
May 3 2025The Pirates placed Kiner-Falefa on the injured list, retroactive to May 1, with a right hamstring strain Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa hadn't played since Wednesday due to the injury, and the issue is serious enough to warrant a trip to the IL. With Kiner-Falefa out of action, Jared Triolo has been filling in at shortstop. The Pirates selected the contract of pitcher Tanner Rainey and moved pitcher Justin Lawrence from the 15-day to the 60-day IL on Saturday in moves corresponding to Kiner-Falefa's placement on the injured list.
May 2 2025Kiner-Falefa (lower body) is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Padres. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 30-year-old was forced to the bench Thursday due to the lower-body issue after a run of nine straight starts, and he remains out of the starting nine Friday. Jared Triolo will receive another start at shortstop in place of Kiner-Falefa.
May 1 2025Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa had started each of the last nine games while batting .303 with a stolen base, three runs and two RBI, but he'll get a breather while Pittsburgh wraps up its series with Chicago with a day game after a night game. Jared Triolo will pick up a start at shortstop in place of Kiner-Falefa.
Apr 19 2025Kiner-Falefa is not in Pittsburgh's starting lineup against Cleveland on Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has recorded at least one hit in five of his last six games, going 6-for-20 with one stolen base, two runs scored and one RBI over that span. He'll be in the dugout for the beginning of Saturday's game while Jared Triolo starts at shortstop and bats seventh against Guardians right-hander Ben Lively.
Apr 17 2025Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a run scored Wednesday against the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has struggled at the plate after a relatively hot start to the year, as he has just four hits across his last 25 at-bats (eight games) after Wednesday's multi-hit effort. He's also slowed on the basepaths, failing to tally a stolen base since March 31 while being caught on his last two attempts.
Apr 9 2025Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cardinals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Manager Derek Shelton will give Kiner-Falefa a breather as the Pirates wrap up their series with the Cardinals with a day game after a night game. The recently promoted Tsung-Che Cheng will make his MLB debut Wednesday, starting at shortstop in Kiner-Falefa's stead and batting ninth.
Apr 6 2025Kiner-Falefa will start at shortstop and bat ninth Sunday against the Yankees after Jared Triolo (undisclosed) was scratched, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was poised to receive his first day off this season but will instead take his usual post at shortstop. He's batting .321 (9-for-28) with no extra-base hits and four steals in 33 plate appearances.
Mar 29 2025Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with two walks and two stolen bases Saturday against the Marlins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was expected to lead off for a significant portion of spring, but he's instead hit ninth in all three of Pittsburgh's games. He's still found a way to be productive and has benefited from the team's aggressiveness on the basepaths by swiping three bases on three tries. Kiner-Falefa is likely to provide little other production, but he could be a streaming option for stolen bases.
Mar 10 2025Kiner-Falefa has started nine games at shortstop during spring training and is projected to begin the season as the Pirates' primary starter at the position, Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has served as a utility player for much of his career, though 28 of his 50 appearances came at shortstop after being acquired by the Pirates. He struggled to a .587 OPS across 215 plate appearances in Pittsburgh, so there's no guarantee he'll maintain that playing time throughout the 2025 campaign. Nick Gonzales and Liover Peguero are both capable at the position defensively and have made appearances at shortstop this spring.
Sep 29 2024Kiner-Falefa is absent from Sunday's lineup against the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Jared Triolo will start at third base and bat sixth in Pittsburgh's regular-season finale. As a member of the Pirates this season, Kiner-Falefa slashed .240/.265/.322 with eight stolen bases, one home run and 10 RBI across 215 plate appearances.
Sep 22 2024Kiner-Falefa is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Nick Gonzales will take over at shortstop and atop the batting order against right-hander Hunter Greene. Kiner-Falefa occupies those spots most days, and he's provided a .286 average this month as the Pirates' primary leadoff hitter, though it's been a rather empty batting average (five doubles, no homers, three RBI in his last 19 games).
Sep 17 2024Kiner-Falefa is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game in St. Louis. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa had been at shortstop and leading off for the Pirates' last six contests, but he will begin Tuesday's game on the bench. Nick Gonzales is getting a start at shortstop and will also be at the top of the batting order.
Sep 15 2024Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-5 with an RBI single and two runs during Sunday's 4-3 win over the Royals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa participated in three of the Pirates' four runs Sunday, notching his seventh game this season with at least three hits. The utility player has one homer, six stolen bases and a pair of triples in 39 games with the Pirates. He's 11-for-32 (.296) during his last seven games.
Sep 9 2024Kiner-Falefa is absent from Monday's lineup against the Marlins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will hit the bench after he started each of the Pirates' last four games against the Nationals, going 5-for-18 with four runs scored and two RBI. Alika Williams gets the start at shortstop and bats ninth in Kiner-Falefa's stead.
Sep 2 2024Kiner-Falefa is absent from the lineup for Monday's game versus the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Alika Williams will start at shortstop and bat ninth, while Nick Gonzales will be elevated to the leadoff spot. Kiner-Falefa is slashing only .223/.263/.321 since joining the Pirates, but this is his first day off since he arrived in Pittsburgh.
Sep 1 2024Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-5 with two stolen bases in Saturday's 3-0 win over the Guardians. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: IKF took full advantage of his one trip on the basepaths, swiping second and third base after a ninth-inning single. Kiner-Falefa has taken over at shortstop and as the leadoff hitter for Pittsburgh and has six steals in 26 games, but he hasn't provided much production otherwise since joining the team at the trade deadline, slashing just .220/.254/.321 with one homer, seven RBI and 11 runs.
Aug 26 2024Manager Derek Shelton said Monday that Kiner-Falefa will serve as the Pirates' primary shortstop for the rest of the season, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With Oneil Cruz having struggled defensively at shortstop in 2024 after a fractured ankle cut his 2023 season short, the Pirates are planning to transition him to center field over the final month of the campaign. Cruz's move to the outfield keeps an everyday spot in the infield available for Kiner-Falefa, who might have otherwise been at risk of moving into a utility role when Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) returned from the injured list at some point in September. As a member of the Yankees in 2023, Kiner-Falefa made just one start at shortstop, but he should carry eligibility at the position in fantasy leagues in 2025 after having already made 16 starts at shortstop this season prior to Shelton's announcement Monday.
Aug 17 2024Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Saturday's 7-2 win over the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa put the Pirates on top early with a leadoff homer and later added two singles for his first three-hit effort with his new club. The 29-year-old has tallied multiple hits in five of his past 10 games with a home run and three steals. On the season, he is hitting .293 with eight long balls, 38 RBI, 37 runs scored and six stolen bases across 361 plate appearances.
Aug 5 2024Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-5 with a double, a triple, two RBI and a run scored Sunday against the Diamondbacks. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa made his team debut Saturday and went hitless, though he turned things around as a key contributor out of the leadoff spot Sunday. He replaced Andrew McCutchen (quadriceps) atop the order, though Kiner-Falefa looks more likely to settle into the middle of the order as he hit sixth in his team debut and McCutchen does not look likely to miss extended time.
Aug 3 2024The Pirates reinstated Kiner-Falefa (knee) from the 10-day injured list Saturday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: A sprained left knee forced Kiner-Falefa onto the injured list in July, and he was in the final stages of his rehab assignment when he was traded from Toronto to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline. The 29-year-old went 4-for-10 and scored two runs over three games while in the minors, and he figures to take over as the Pirates' primary second baseman now that he's healthy. Alika Williams was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis in a corresponding move.
Aug 2 2024Kiner-Falefa (knee) will report to Double-A Altoona on Friday to begin a rehab assignment, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 29-year-old made two rehab appearances last weekend before being acquired by the Pirates from the Blue Jays, and he'll continue the assignment with his new organization. Kiner-Falefa has been sidelined about a month by a left knee sprain, so he shouldn't require a lengthy stay in the minors and could join Pittsburgh early next week.
Jul 30 2024The Pirates acquired Kiner-Falefa (knee) from the Blue Jays on Tuesday in exchange for infielder/outfielder Charles McAdoo, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa is currently on the injured list due to a left knee sprain, though he played in two rehab games over the weekend and should soon be ready to be reinstated. The utility man is in the midst of the most productive campaign of his MLB career with seven home runs and a .292/.338/.420 slash line through 82 games. He should see significant action at second base since Nick Gonzales (groin) is facing an extended absence, but Kiner-Falefa could also log starts at the hot corner, given Ke'Bryan Hayes' weak .591 OPS this season.
Jul 26 2024Kiner-Falefa (knee) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa is slated to be at third base Saturday, designated hitter Sunday and shortstop Tuesday, with a return to the Blue Jays coming after that if all goes well. He's been out since early July with a left knee sprain and has been mentioned as a possible trade candidate. Players can be traded while on the IL, so the fact that Kiner-Falefa isn't scheduled to return until after the deadline wouldn't necessarily preclude a trade.
Jul 25 2024Kiner-Falefa (knee) is on track to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will be cleared for rehab games as long as he gets through workouts the next couple days with no issues. The utility infielder has been out since early July with a left knee sprain. He shouldn't need too many rehab at-bats before being activated, with a return next week being possible. Kiner-Falefa could take over at shortstop for the Blue Jays while Bo Bichette (calf) is out.
Jul 9 2024Kiner-Falefa (knee) began doing some light running and throwing Tuesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Tuesday marks the first time Kiner-Falefa has participated in any sort of baseball activity since he landed on the injured list last week due to a sprained left knee. He still has a few boxes to check off before being cleared to return to game action and may also require a minor-league rehab assignment, but the 29-year-old seems to be trending in the right direction.
Jul 2 2024Kiner-Falefa was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday due to a left knee sprain. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was scratched from Monday's game with a left knee injury and an MRI revealed he's only dealing with a sprain. Still, the utility player will require an IL stint, opening up a spot on the active roster for Leo Jimenez. Kiner-Falefa is slashing .292/.338/.420 with a 13.2 percent K rate this season.
Jul 1 2024Kiner-Falefa is awaiting results of an MRI on his left knee, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was a late scratch from Monday's lineup against the Astros after feeling something in his knee while stretching pregame. Ernie Clement was in the lineup for the Blue Jays on Monday at third base, where Kiner-Falefa has been seeing most of his playing time. It's possible an update on Kiner-Falefa's status will be available later Monday.
Jun 29 2024Kiner-Falefa went 4-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored in Saturday's 9-3 win over the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa singled and scored in the first inning and added another base-hit in the fifth. He smacked an RBI single and scored in the sixth frame and then finished his huge day by doubling and scoring again in the eighth. Since June 15, the 29-year-old has enjoyed a 13-game hit streak and seen his season average climb from .263 to .296. He also has seven home runs, 33 RBI, 32 runs scored and three steals over 277 plate appearances in what has been a surprisingly productive 2024.
Jun 28 2024Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a second run scored in Friday's 16-5 loss to the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The infielder took Michael Tonkin deep in the sixth inning, giving Kiner-Falefa his seventh long ball of the season, one off his career high. He's also hit safely in 12 straight games, batting a blistering .395 (17-for-43) over that stretch with three homers, six RBI and 10 runs.
Jun 22 2024Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with two solo home runs and a hit-by-pitch in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Guardians. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa had not posted an extra-base hit over his previous 10 games, though he hit .281 (9-for-32) in that span. The 29-year-old also snapped a homer drought dating back to May 26. For the season, he's up to six homers in 75 contests, matching his total form 115 games a year ago. He's added a .281/.325/.408 slash line with 31 RBI, 22 runs scored and three stolen bases. He had exclusively hit in the bottom third of the order, but he was batting leadoff for Saturday's contest -- a move up the order would likely lead to better overall production if he can stay there.
Jun 9 2024Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with a double and five RBI in Sunday's win over Oakland. He was also caught stealing. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa knocked a two-run single in the second inning before capping off his day with a clutch bases-clearing double in the 10th to help secure the win. After an ugly 0-for-20 skid in the middle of May, he's gone 22-for-64 (.344) over his last 18 games. That hot streak has boosted his season slash line to .275/.319/.394 with 26 RBI and 13 extra-base hits through 209 plate appearances.
May 30 2024Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBI in Wednesday's win over the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 29-year-old utility player fueled the Blue Jays' offense in a 3-1 victory, singling home the game-winning run in the fourth inning and driving home an insurance run in the sixth. Kiner-Falefa has hit safely in eight straight games, batting an even .400 (12-for-30) over that stretch to boost his slash line on the season to .270/.320/.409 with four homers, three steals, 17 runs and 17 RBI in 54 contests. IKF's .729 OPS would be a career high if he can maintain that pace through the summer.
May 25 2024Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, a run scored and a stolen base in Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Tigers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Getting the start at second base and batting seventh, Kiner-Falefa was the only Blue Jay to record multiple hits on an afternoon when offense was at a premium. The 29-year-old utility player has seven hits in the last four games, but that comes on the heels of an 0-for-20 swoon. On the season, Kiner-Falefa is slashing .264/.305/.382 with three homers, three steals, 13 RBI and 14 runs in 50 contests.
May 24 2024Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a triple and a solo homer in Thursday's win over the Tigers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa jumped on the third pitch he saw from Jack Flaherty in the top of the third inning and launched it over the wall in left field to get the Blue Jays on the board. The utility infielder would add a triple in his next at-bat, giving him back-to-back games with two hits after previously riding an 0-for-20 skid. The home run was his third of the season, and two of those have come over his last 11 games.
May 18 2024Kiner-Falefa isn't in the Blue Jays' lineup for Saturday's game against the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After tallying nine hits in five games earlier in the month, Kiner-Falefa has gone 0-for-9 across his last three contests. He'll get a day to regroup Saturday while Cavan Biggio starts at third base and bats eighth.
May 15 2024Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Orioles. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa had started each of the Blue Jays' last seven games, and even after Tuesday's contest was postponed, manager John Schneider will give the infielder some additional rest before Toronto returns to action Friday versus the Rays. Ernie Clement will serve as Toronto's starting third baseman in Kiner-Falefa's stead.
May 11 2024Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Twins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The utility infielder popped a solo shot off Joe Ryan in the third inning and brought home Bo Bichette with a ninth-inning single, but the rest of the Blue Jays' offense was quiet on the night. Kiner-Falefa is batting .379 (11-for-29) over the last nine games as he fills a nearly everyday role while bouncing between second base and third base, but Friday's homer was just his second of the season, and his first extra-base since April 19.
May 4 2024Kiner-Falefa isn't in the Blue Jays' lineup for Saturday's game against the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-3 during Friday's series opener, and he'll get a breather Saturday against Jake Irvin and the Nats. Justin Turner will pick up a start at third base while Daniel Vogelbach serves as Toronto's DH and bats sixth.
Apr 27 2024Kiner-Falefa is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Dodgers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will retreat to the bench after going 1-for-4 in the series opener Friday. Righty-hitting Ernie Clement will start at third base Saturday and bat eighth against Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow.
Apr 24 2024Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Royals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will head to the bench Wednesday after reaching base four times while making a pair of starts at third base in the first two games of the series. Ernie Clement will spell Kiner-Falefa at the hot corner.
Apr 17 2024Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will get a breather after he made starts at either third base or second base in each of Toronto's last five games. Cavan Biggio will get the nod at the hot corner Wednesday while Davis Schneider mans the keystone.
Apr 13 2024Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's loss to the Rockies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Getting the start at third base and batting eighth, Kiner-Falefa took Tyler Kinley deep in the ninth inning, although the Blue Jays were in a 12-2 hole at the time. The utility player has already made appearances in six games at second base and eight games at the hot corner, batting .306 (11-for-36) through 13 contests with one homer, one steal, three RBI and four runs.
Apr 10 2024Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will retreat to the bench for the series finale after he went 6-for-12 with two doubles, two RBI, two runs and one stolen base while starting each of Toronto's last three games. Ernie Clement will spell Kiner-Falefa at the hot corner.
Apr 9 2024Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a run batted in and a steal during Monday's win over the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa picked up his second multi-hit game of the new season and plated Daulton Varsho in the eighth on a single for his first RBI of 2024. Through 10 appearances, Kiner-Falefa is slashing .250/.344/.286.
Apr 6 2024Kiner-Falefa is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will begin Saturday's game in the dugout after starting in each of the last five games. He's gone 4-for-23 with one run, three walks and three strikeouts to start the season. Justin Turner will shift to third base, while left-handed batter Daniel Vogelbach gets the start at DH against Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt.
Apr 1 2024Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Sunday's win over the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 29-year-old utility player has started three of Toronto's first four games, but after two games at third base, Kiner-Falefa shifted to second base Sunday. He's hit eighth or ninth in all three contests, going 3-for-9, and Sunday's run has been his only counting-stat contribution so far. IKF's versatility has value in deeper fantasy formats and he'd stolen at least 14 bags in three straight seasons coming into 2024, but his overall offensive upside is limited.
Mar 30 2024Kiner-Falefa is not in the Blue Jays' lineup for Saturday's game against the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa started the first two games of the season, going 1-for-6 over that span. Ernie Clement will get the nod at third base Saturday and bat sixth against Rays right-hander Zack Littell.
Mar 28 2024Kiner-Falefa will start at third base and bat eighth in Thursday's season opener against the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Blue Jays manager John Schneider never named his starters at third base or second base, but he's been telegraphing that it would be Kiner-Falefa and Cavan Biggio at those spots versus righties and, sure enough, that's how things are set up on Opening Day. Kiner-Falefa has a slick glove but has never posted even a .700 OPS in any of his six major-league seasons, so he's certainly an atypical starting third baseman.
Mar 8 2024Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 28-year-old signed a somewhat head-scratching two-year, $15 million contract with the Blue Jays in December, but the organization views him as a useful utility player who can help plug the hole at third base until a prospect like Orelvis Martinez is ready to step up. Kiner-Falefa got the start at shortstop in Thursday's contest however, and through six Grapefruit League games he'd seen only half his action at the hot corner while also playing a second contest at short and one at second base. Wherever he's been stationed on the diamond, he's been making good contact, going 5-for-12 (.417) with a steal and a 2:1 BB:K, although all five hits have been singles.
Dec 27 2023Kiner-Falefa signed a two-year, $15 million contract with the Blue Jays on Wednesday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He can earn an additional $1 million in incentives. Kiner-Falefa has never even posted a .700 OPS in any of his six major league seasons, but he nonetheless seemed to have a strong market this winter. The utility player would currently appear to be in line to see ample time at second and third base for Toronto but, of course, offers the ability to bounce around to a variety of positions.
Aug 23 2023Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa had been receiving fairly steady playing time at third base over the past two weeks, but he looks like he'll fade into more of a utility role moving forward after the Yankees called up infield prospect Oswald Peraza from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday. Peraza will draw a second straight start at third base Wednesday while Kiner-Falefa remains on the bench.
Aug 14 2023Over Kiner-Falefa's past five games, he has gone 6-for-21 (.286) with five RBI and a stolen base. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has notched at least one hit in each of the five contests and has picked up at least one RBI in all but one of them. While the recent numbers don't make him a must-add fantasy asset, they're a vast improvement over his previous eight games, when he hit just .192 with a single RBI. Kiner-Falefa's theft Sunday was his 10th of the season, giving him double-digit steals in three straight campaigns, but his other numbers (.253/.321/.366 slash line, six homers, 34 RBI and 36 runs) keep him off the fantasy radar outside of deeper formats.
Aug 7 2023Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa is riding pine for the series opener in Chicago, but he still appears to be the Yankees' preferred option in left field based on how the playing time has been distributed since Aaron Judge returned from the injured list July 28. The 28-year-old started in all but one of the previous nine games and posted a strong .353 on-base percentage to go with one home run, four RBI and four additional runs. Billy McKinney will spell Kiner-Falefa in left field Monday.
Aug 6 2023Kiner-Falefa will start in left field and bat sixth in Sunday's game against the Astros. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will make his sixth consecutive start Sunday and appears set to take over as the Yankees' primary option in left field while Jake Bauers shifts to first base as a replacement for Anthony Rizzo (concussion), who was placed on the injured list Thursday. Even though the lefty-hitting Billy McKinney would make for a natural platoon partner in left field, the right-handed-hitting Kiner-Falefa will stick in the lineup against Astros right-hander Jose Urquidy on Sunday. Kiner-Falefa has recorded exactly one hit in nine of his last 10 games and is getting on base at a .371 clip during that stretch.
Aug 4 2023Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Friday's 7-3 loss against the Astros. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa's fifth-inning blast off Astros' starter Hunter Brown was his sixth of the season and first since June 29. The utility-man led off and started in right field in place of a resting Aaron Judge for the Yankees. Kiner-Falefa has now handled the leadoff role in two of the four games since Gleyber Torres was moved down to the three-hole in the Yankees' lineup. If Torres' position in the batting order holds, whomever gets regular work for the Yankees in the leadoff spot should prove to be a quality source for runs scored.
Jul 26 2023Kiner-Falefa is starting in left field and batting leadoff Wednesday versus the Mets. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's his first start in more than a week and the first time this season that he's batted higher than fifth for the Yankees. Kiner-Falefa did reach base in both plate appearances off the bench Tuesday and has reached eight times across his last 15 trips to the dish.
Jul 9 2023Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll sit for the second time in the series and could be at risk of moving into more of a part-time role while the Yankees have been deploying designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton in the corner outfield more frequently of late. After posting a 1.029 OPS over an eight-game stretch from June 28 to July 5, Kiner-Falefa has fallen back to earth of late with an 0-for-5 showing over his past two starts.
Jul 1 2023Kiner-Falefa went 4-for-7 with two walks and three runs scored over both games of Saturday's doubleheader versus the Cardinals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-4 with a walk and a run in Game 1, then followed it up by getting on base in all four of his plate appearances in Game 2. He's been in the lineup for six of the last eight games after initially losing some playing time to Harrison Bader. Kiner-Falefa's unlikely to have one steady spot in the lineup -- he played in right field and center field Saturday and has also seen time in left field and at third base over the last week. The versatile 28-year-old is slashing a reasonable .260/.306/.387 with five home runs, 22 RBI, 26 runs scored and eight stolen bases through 187 plate appearances this season.
Jun 29 2023Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI in Thursday's victory over Oakland. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa got the Yankees on the board with a solo shot off Hogan Harris in the second inning, tying the game 1-1. He'd drive in two more runs on a sac fly and a base hit later in the contest. Kiner-Falefa is now 6-for-15 (.400) over his last six games while starting sporadically in a utility role. He's now slashing .247/.288/.380 with five homers, 22 RBI, 23 runs scored and eight steals through 178 plate appearances this season.
Jun 22 2023Kiner-Falefa hit a two-run homer in his only plate appearance and struck out one batter in a perfect inning of relief in Thursday's lopsided loss to the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa shined in an otherwise ugly loss for the Yankees, preventing a shutout with a two-run shot to left field in the bottom of the ninth inning after retiring all three batters he faced as a pitcher in the top of the frame. The versatile veteran has been playing scarcely of late, and he entered the contest having gone 1-for-12 with five strikeouts since June 11. Despite the ray of sunshine Kiner-Falefa provided for New York on Thursday, he hasn't hit well enough this season to have more than a utility role.
Jun 21 2023Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will sit for the fourth time in five games and appears to have moved back into a reserve role in the wake of Harrison Bader's recent return from the injured list. The Yankees still have openings at the corner-outfield spots with Aaron Judge (toe) on the shelf, but Billy McKinney and Jake Bauers appear to be manager Aaron Boone's preferred options in left field and right field, respectively, at the moment.
Jun 18 2023Kiner-Falefa isn't starting the second game of Sunday's doubleheader against Boston. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will head to the bench after he went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts during Sunday's matinee. Billy McKinney will take his place in center field and bat sixth.
Jun 16 2023Kiner-Falefa isn't in the Yankees' lineup Friday against Boston. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After going 1-for-7 with two runs scored and two stolen bases during the Yankees' previous series against the Mets, Kiner-Falefa will sit out Friday's series opener against the Red Sox. Kiner-Falefa started the two previous games in center field but will be replaced by Billy McKinney, who will bat seventh.
Jun 15 2023Kiner-Falefa went 0-for-3 with a run scored and two stolen bases in Wednesday's 4-3 extra-inning loss to the Mets. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The utility player manufactured a run in the seventh inning via his wheels along with some shaky defense by the Mets. After reaching on a Jeff McNeil throwing error, Kiner-Falefa swiped second, went to third on Francisco Alvarez's throwing error, then caught reliever Brooks Raley napping on the mound and executed a straight steal of home. Kiner-Falefa has seen action at third base, shortstop and all three outfield spots this season but is getting his starts lately in center field, and over his last 16 games he's batting .296 (16-for-54) with eight runs, nine RBI and four of his eight stolen bases on the year.
Jun 11 2023Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa is on the bench for the second straight game and may have ceded the primary center-fielder role to Billy McKinney, who will stick in the lineup for the fifth game in a row. Both McKinney and Kiner-Falefa will see their opportunities in center take a hit as soon as Harrison Bader (hamstring) is cleared to return from the 10-day injured list.
Jun 10 2023Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a run and a stolen base in a loss to Boston on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was one of only two Yankees with multiple hits in the contest, and he used his legs to generate the team's final run when he reached on an infield single, stole second base, advanced to third on an error and crossed the plate on a wild pitch in the seventh inning. The utility man could have had a slightly better stat line, but he was thrown out trying to steal in the second frame. Kiner-Falefa has six thefts on nine attempts on the campaign, but that's not enough to make him a viable fantasy asset in most formats, as he's slashing a mediocre .239/.281/.355 with three homers, 15 RBI and 16 runs overall through 147 plate appearances.
May 31 2023Kiner-Falefa went 4-for-5 with four RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's win over the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa singled home two runs in the first and another two insurance runs in the ninth and had the fourth four-hit game of his career. He's had a complete revival at the plate lately and from May 16 is slashing .382/.417/.765 with three homers, 12 RBI and 10 runs scored. Prior to his recent surge, he'd recorded just two RBI and had just two extra-base hits while hitting .179/.229/.205 over his first 31 games this year. It's not realistic to expect his power surge to last, but he has certainly added some value to his name in deeper leagues and AL-only formats.
May 28 2023Kiner-Falefa will start in left field and bat seventh in Sunday's game against the Padres, Pete Caldera of The Bergen Record reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa is manning left for the third straight game and the sixth time in eight games. He appears to have taken over as the primary option at the position in the wake of his surprising power surge thus far in May; he's maintaining a .785 OPS on the month and has collected seven extra-base hits, including three home runs. Kiner-Falefa could be at risk of falling into more of a part-time role once the Yankees possibly bring back both Giancarlo Stanton (hamstring) and Josh Donaldson (hamstring) from the injured list next weekend.
May 24 2023Kiner-Falefa is starting in left field and batting eighth in Wednesday's tilt versus the Orioles, Erik Boland of Newsday reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has now started three of the last four games in left field and all of them have come against right-handed pitching. Both of IKF's home runs this season have come in his last five games.
May 21 2023Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's extra-inning win against Cincinnati. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa plated the Yankees' second run with a solo shot to left field in the fifth inning. It was the utility man's second homer over his past two starts after failing to go deep in his first 31 games this season. Kiner-Falefa has never hit more than eight homers in an MLB campaign and went deep just four times in 531 plate appearances last season, so it's unlikely that the sudden surge in power is anything more than an aberration.
May 17 2023Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, a solo home run and two additional runs scored in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Getting the start at third base and hitting eighth, Kiner-Falefa gave the Yankees a 3-0 lead by taking Kevin Gausman deep in the fifth inning. It was the first homer of the year for the 28-year-old utility player, who has a meager .200/.256/.275 slash line through 87 plate appearances.
May 3 2023Kiner-Falefa will start in left field and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against the Guardians. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa learned center field during spring training, and with Harrison Bader having returned from the injured list, Kiner-Falefa will now try his hand at a corner spot. The 28-year-old has been dreadful at the plate this season with a .421 OPS over 21 games, so he could struggle to gain traction as an everyday player in the outfield.
Apr 5 2023Kiner-Falefa will take a seat for Wednesday's series finale versus the Phillies, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has been earning starts in center field this season, starting there two out of the last three games while going 0-for-7 at the plate in those contests. Aaron Judge will slide over to center field while Franchy Cordero will take over in right field and make his second start of the year Wednesday.
Apr 4 2023Kiner-Falefa is starting in center field and batting seventh for the Yankees on Tuesday against the Phillies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa had never played an inning in center field at the major-league level prior to this season but has now started at the position two of the last three games. He'll be flanked by Aaron Hicks and Giancarlo Stanton while Aaron Judge gets a day as the designated hitter.
Mar 14 2023Kiner-Falefa is slated to get a start in center field later this week as he transitions to a utility role, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The writing had been on the wall that Kiner-Falefa wasn't going to win the Yankees' shortstop job and now that's essentially being confirmed. Oswald Peraza is the heavy favorite to open at short for the Yanks, although Anthony Volpe is still in the mix, as well. IKF has a little bit of minor-league experience in the outfield, although he's never played there in the big leagues.
Mar 2 2023Kiner-Falefa might wind up playing all over the field -- including the outfield -- if Oswald Peraza wins the Yankees' shortstop job, manager Aaron Boone told Chris Kirschner of The Athletic on Thursday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He's never played the outfield in the majors, although he does have a little bit of outfield experience in the minors. Kiner-Falefa has played shortstop almost exclusively in the big leagues the last two seasons, but Peraza is considered the favorite to start there for the Bronx Bombers on Opening Day.
Nov 18 2022Kiner-Falefa signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Yankees on Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa slashed .261/.314/.327 as the Yankees' primary shortstop in 2022. With the Yankees positioned to spend big in free agency this offseason, it's possible they search for another infielder that can provide more offensive production and move IKF to more of a bench role in 2023.
Oct 22 2022Kiner-Falefa will remain on the bench for Game 3 of the ALCS against the Astros on Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was the Yankees' primary shortstop during the regular season, but he's fallen out of favor recently and will sit for the fourth time in the past five games. Oswaldo Cabrera will make another start at the position in Game 3.
Oct 20 2022Kiner-Falefa isn't in the lineup for Game 2 of the Yankees' ALCS matchup against Houston on Thursday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has slashed .267/.353/.267 over 17 postseason plate appearances thus far. After a 1-for-4 performance in Game 1, he will pass shortstop duties over to Oswald Peraza, who will bat eighth.
Oct 17 2022Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup Monday for Game 5 of the Yankees' American League Division Series with the Guardians. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll find himself on the bench for the second straight night in an elimination game, an indication that manager Aaron Boone no longer views Kiner-Falefa as the team's top shortstop. Oswaldo Cabrera will move from what had been his usual spot in the outfield to replace Kiner-Falefa, allowing Aaron Hicks to make another start in left field.
Oct 16 2022Kiner-Falefa isn't starting Game 4 of the ALDS against the Guardians on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa started the first three games of the ALDS and went 3-for-11 with a run, a stolen base, a walk and a strikeout. Oswaldo Cabrera will take over at shortstop and bat sixth as the Yankees attempt to stave off elimination Sunday.
Oct 5 2022Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rangers, Erik Boland of Newsday reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will stick on the bench for the second straight game to close out the regular season while the Yankees have little at stake with regard to playoff positioning. Oswald Peraza will step in at shortstop in place of Kiner-Falefa, who finishes with a .261/.314/.327 slash line to go with four home runs, 22 stolen bases, 66 runs and 48 RBI in his first season in New York.
Oct 4 2022Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Rangers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa started the matinee and will head to the bench after he went 1-for-4. Oswald Peraza will take over at shortstop and bat sixth in the nightcap.
Oct 3 2022Kiner-Falefa was added to the lineup for Monday's game against the Rangers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was slated to get a day off Monday, but he'll join the starting lineup after Gleyber Torres (undisclosed) was scratched. Kiner-Falefa will start at shortstop and bat seventh.
Oct 1 2022Kiner-Falefa isn't in the lineup Saturday against the Orioles. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa is on the bench for the second time in the last three games after he went 1-for-3 with a stolen base during Friday's loss to Baltimore. Oswald Peraza will start at shortstop and bat ninth.
Sep 28 2022Kiner-Falefa isn't starting Wednesday against the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa is on the bench for the second time in the last four games after he went 1-for-7 with a solo home run, a walk and two strikeouts over the last two matchups. Oswald Peraza will start at shortstop and bat cleanup.
Sep 27 2022Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Monday's 3-2 loss to the Blue Jays in 10 innings. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa extended his hitting streak to five games and helped stake the Yankees to an early 2-0 lead with his two-out blast off Kevin Gausman. The home run was his fourth of the season, with three coming since Sept. 5.
Sep 25 2022Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa started the past six games and will take a seat after he went 5-for-24 with an RBI and two runs. Oswald Peraza will step in at shortstop and bat ninth.
Sep 17 2022Kiner-Falefa will sit Saturday against the Brewers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa finds himself on the bench for just the second time this month. He's hit .326 with two home runs and five steals thus far in September. Oswald Peraza will start at shortstop Saturday.
Sep 15 2022Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-3 with a walk, a run and two stolen bases in Wednesday's 5-3 win against Boston. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa made an out in each of his first two trips to the plate before walking in the sixth and singling in the eighth. He stole second base in each of the latter two plate appearances, moving him up to 20 thefts on the campaign. Kiner-Falefa has reached base in each of his 11 games during September, slashing .350/.422/.525 with two homers, seven RBI, nine runs and five thefts during that span.
Sep 8 2022Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-5 with a run scored and a stolen base in a 4-3 loss Thursday against Minnesota. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa singled and scored in the second and singled and stole a base in the eighth. Entering the game, he had a .335 SLG and .068 ISO -- both career lows in a full season -- but that didn't stop the Yankees from hitting the 27-year-old cleanup for the first time in his career. Perhaps it was his two homers in the past three games -- bringing his total for the season to three -- or the fact that New York is so injury-riddled that Kiner-Falefa was the best option to bat fourth. He is 9-for-23 with two homers and three stolen bases in six games this month and could continue to see time in the heart of the Yankees' lineup in the near future.
Sep 6 2022Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in a 5-2 victory against the Twins on Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa isn't known for his power, but he produced the final run in the contest with his solo shot to left field in the seventh inning. It was just his second long ball this season and his 18th over 512 career MLB games. His primary appeal in fantasy is his speed -- Kiner-Falefa has 15 thefts this season after stealing 20 bags in 2021.
Sep 3 2022Kiner-Falefa isn't in the lineup Saturday against the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Manager Aaron Boone said Friday that Kiner-Falefa will remain the Yankees' starting shortstop for now in spite of Oswald Peraza's recent call-up. However, Kiner-Falefa will get a breather Saturday while Peraza starts at shortstop and bats eighth.
Sep 2 2022Manager Aaron Boone said Friday that he still considers Kiner-Falefa the Yankees' starting shortstop, even after Oswald Peraza was called up Thursday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa is starting at shortstop and batting ninth Friday against the Rays, and it seems like he'll continue to get the majority of the playing time at the position in the near future. Boone said that Peraza could be in the lineup Saturday, but the prospect is also expected to see some looks at second base over the final month of the regular season.
Aug 28 2022Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics, Marly Rivera of ESPN.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa is 5-for-30 across his past nine games and will head to the bench Sunday. Oswaldo Cabrera will step in at shortstop in the series finale for the Yankees.
Aug 21 2022Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will sit for the second time in four games while manager Aaron Boone continues to look for ways to keep Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre call-up Oswaldo Cabrera in the lineup. In addition to picking up two starts at shortstop, the versatile Cabrera has also drawn starts in right field and third base over the past five contests, so Kiner-Falefa won't necessarily be the main player to lose out on work in favor of the rookie.
Aug 18 2022Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa started the past nine games and will head to the bench Thursday after posting a .179/.273/.286 slash line during that span. Prospect Oswaldo Cabrera, who was promoted for his debut Wednesday, will start at shortstop in the series opener versus Toronto.
Aug 14 2022Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and a game-winning RBI bunt single in a 3-2 victory over the Red Sox on Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa led his team to victory over its division rivals with a three-RBI performance that mixed the long ball with some small ball. The 27-year-old shortstop had 379 consecutive plate appearances this season without a home run but tallied his first of the season with a blast over the Green Monster at Fenway Park. He then gave his team the go-ahead run on a perfectly placed bunt up the first base line to score Andrew Benintendi from third in the ninth inning. Kiner-Falefa is hitting .271 with 15 stolen bases on the season. Despite not having much power, his solid defense and contact ability make him everyday player at the bottom of the Yankees lineup.
Aug 7 2022Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will retreat to the bench after he hit .259 with four runs, two RBI and a stolen base while starting in each of the Yankees' last eight games. Marwin Gonzalez will step in at shortstop Sunday while Kiner-Falefa gets a breather for matinee affair.
Aug 4 2022Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI in Thursday's 7-3 loss to the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has turned in two straight two-hit games, lifting his average to .275. The 27-year-old is tied for third on the team in games played this season, but that's largely on the back of his solid glove at shortstop along with the Yankees' lack of a reliable backup at the position. Despite the heavy volume of plate appearances, Kiner-Falefa has zero home runs, 32 RBI and 47 runs, with his fantasy value overwhelmingly derived from his batting average and stolen-base production (15 steals in 19 attempts).
Jul 28 2022Kiner-Falefa isn't starting Thursday against the Royals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa is in the midst of a 14-game hitting streak in which he's hit .314 with four doubles, 10 RBI, two runs and a stolen base. Marwin Gonzalez will take over at shortstop and bat eighth.
Jul 25 2022Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-5 with a run and a stolen base in a 6-0 win over Baltimore on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With two outs in the sixth inning, Kiner-Falefa knocked in a run with a single to center field. The shortstop also swiped a bag in the following frame, giving him 14 thefts on the campaign. Though he doesn't have any homers though 324 at-bats, Kiner-Falefa's contributions as a base stealer along with his .272 average and 43 runs have allowed him to maintain modest value in deeper fantasy leagues.
Jul 21 2022Kiner-Falefa will sit Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader against the Astros. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will rest in Thursday's matinee after he went 3-for-13 with a double and three RBI in the final three games before the All-Star break. Marwin Gonzalez will take over at shortstop and bat eighth in the day game.
Jul 14 2022Kiner-Falefa isn't starting Thursday against the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa started in the last four games and went 4-for-16 with two doubles, four RBI and two strikeouts. He'll get a chance to rest with Marwin Gonzalez starting at shortstop and batting ninth.
Jul 13 2022Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI in Wednesday's victory over the Reds. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa notched a double in the second frame before ripping a three-RBI two-bagger off Mike Minor in the following inning. The multi-hit effort was his third of the month and he is now batting .343 with three doubles, six RBI, five runs and two stolen bases over 35 at-bats in 10 games in July. Kiner-Falefa has produced a .271 average with 14 doubles, 24 RBI, 41 runs and 13 stolen bases over 264 at-bats in 78 games in his first season with the Yankees.
Jul 8 2022Kiner-Falefa is not in the lineup for Friday's game at Boston, Erik Boland of Newsday reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa started the past five games and will take a seat after going 8-for-19 with a double, an RBI, four runs and two stolen bases during that span. Marwin Gonzalez will operate as the Yankees' shortstop Friday.
Jul 7 2022Kiner-Falefa went 4-for-6 with three runs scored and a steal in Wednesday's 16-0 victory over the Pirates. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa picked up a run on a DJ LeMahieu single in the fifth, an Aaron Judge grand slam in the eighth and an Aaron Hicks grand slam in the ninth. He also picked up his second steal of the month and his 13th steal of the season in Wednesday's game. The shortstop has raised his batting average nearly 20 points in the last two games, going 7-for-10 during that span. He has eight hits in 15 at-bats in July for a .533 batting average. Kiner-Falefa is slashing .276/.325/.325 on the season.
Jul 6 2022Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-4 with a double and a run in Tuesday's loss to Pittsburgh. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa scored New York's first run in the fifth inning, knocking a one-out double and crossing the plate on an Aaron Judge single. This was the shortstop's first multi-hit game since June 18 and his second three-hit performance of the campaign. Kiner-Falefa has two steals over his past 10 games, but he is slashing a tepid .226/.294/.258 and has knocked in only one run over that stretch.
Jul 2 2022Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base in a 6-1 win over the Guardians in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa supplied an RBI single and a steal in the seventh inning. He'd gone 0-for-6 in his previous two games, but he's managed to limit hitless skids fairly well this year, as he's had only two stretches of three or more games without a hit. He's now 12-for-15 in stolen bases while adding 19 RBI, 36 runs scored, 11 doubles and a .261/.313/.308 slash line through 257 plate appearances. The light-hitting shortstop is still searching for his first home run of the year.
Jun 29 2022Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-3 with a stolen base in Tuesday's 2-1 win against Oakland. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa sat out the series opener Monday due to a bruised right finger, but he was able to rejoin the lineup Tuesday. The shortstop recorded one of five Yankees hits in the contest, singling in the fifth inning and subsequently stealing second base. The theft was his 11th of the campaign, providing nearly all of his fantasy value given his modest .267/.320/.316 slash line and lack of any homers. He's added 18 RBI and 36 runs over 248 plate appearances.
Jun 28 2022Kiner-Falefa (finger) will start at shortstop and bat seventh in Tuesday's game against the Athletics, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Though Gleyber Torres (wrist) will remain sidelined for a second straight contest, the Yankees will get some reinforcement in the infield with the return of Kiner-Falefa. The 27-year-old shortstop recently missed time with a hamstring injury before bruising his right finger in Sunday's win over the Astros, prompting the Yankees to hold him out of Monday's series opener with Oakland. The day off appears to have provided sufficient recovery time for Kiner-Falefa, who has provided most of his fantasy value this season through his .266 average and 10 stolen bases.
Jun 27 2022Kiner-Falefa (finger) isn't starting Monday against the Athletics. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa sustained a right index finger injury on a bunt attempt Sunday, and manager Aaron Boone said after the game that there's some concern regarding the injury. However, the shortstop underwent X-rays that came back negative and expects to be available off the bench Monday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. The 27-year-old will be out of the lineup for at least one game while Marwin Gonzalez starts at shortstop and bats eighth.
Jun 26 2022Kiner-Falefa sustained a finger injury during Sunday's win over the Astros, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-3 with a run during Sunday's victory, but manager Aaron Boone revealed after the game that the shortstop sustained a finger injury on a bunt attempt. Although the 27-year-old remained in the game, Boone said that there is some concern about Kiner-Falefa's injury. If he's forced to miss time, Marwin Gonzalez will likely see additional looks at shortstop.
Jun 25 2022Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Astros. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa missed three games with a hamstring injury to start the week but was back in the lineup the past three days. He went 1-for-10 with a walk, a run and was caught stealing once in that span. Marwin Gonzalez will start at shortstop Saturday for New York.
Jun 22 2022Kiner-Falefa (hamstring) is starting Wednesday's game against the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa sat out three consecutive games due to hamstring soreness but will start at shortstop and bat seventh Wednesday. He's hit .370 with three doubles, six RBI, four runs and a stolen base over his last seven games.
Jun 21 2022Kiner-Falefa (hamstring) remains on the bench Tuesday against Tampa Bay. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa sits for the third straight game as he battles a sore hamstring. Whether or not he'll be available off the bench is unclear. Gleyber Torres will start at shortstop for the first time this season, with DJ LeMahieu starting at second base.
Jun 20 2022Kiner-Falefa (hamstring) is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Rays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa's absence from the lineup doesn't come as a major surprise after he was withheld from the lineup for Sunday's loss to the Blue Jays due to a sore hamstring. Until the injury presents no issues for Kiner-Falefa while he runs the bases and moves around laterally in the field, he'll likely remain on the bench. Marwin Gonzalez draws the start at shortstop in the series opener in Tampa Bay.
Jun 19 2022Kiner-Falefa was held out of the lineup for Sunday's loss to the Blue Jays due to hamstring soreness, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports. He was unavailable to pinch run in the ninth. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 27-year-old was held of the lineup for Sunday's contest due to the injury, and it's unclear if he's expected to be available for Monday's series opener in Tampa Bay. Kiner-Falefa was enjoying a strong stretch at the plate prior to the injury, having gone 10-for-27 with three doubles, six RBI, four runs and one stolen base over his past seven games.
Jun 18 2022Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with one double, one RBI and one run scored in Saturday's 4-0 shutout win over the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was offensively involved in both of the innings that led to the Yankees victory. His infield single in the fourth off Alex Manoah loaded the bases which were cleared in the very next at-bat by Aaron Hicks to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead. He would later knock Manoah out of the game with an RBI double in the sixth. Kiner-Falefa is hitting at a similar clip to last season with the Rangers, but he is witnessing an uptick in his counting stats due being part of the Yankees' league-leading offense. Kiner-Falefa is on pace for 85 runs this season - good value for fantasy managers who drafted him in the later rounds.
Jun 13 2022Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-5 with a double, a run and three RBI in Sunday's 18-4 shellacking of the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa helped get the Yankees off to a hot start with a two-run double in the first inning. He knocked in another run with a single in the seventh frame that made the score 17-4 at the time. The shortstop has five multi-hit games in June and is slashing .306/.359/.389 with three doubles, six runs, four RBI and four stolen bases through 10 contests this month.
Jun 10 2022Kiner-Falefa will sit Friday versus the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will get a day off Friday after he started seven games in a row, going 7-for-25 with two doubles and five runs in those contests. Marwin Gonzalez will start at shortstop and bat ninth in the series opener Friday.
Jun 6 2022Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with a walk, a run and a stolen base Sunday in 5-4 extra-inning victory versus the Tigers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was the only Yankee with multiple hits in the low-scoring affair, and he swiped second base in the fifth inning. The shortstop leads New York and is tied for 14th in MLB with eight thefts on the season. He hasn't hit any homers thus far, but the steals and a .274/.324/.321 slash line give him some low-end fantasy value in mixed leagues.
Jun 3 2022Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with one run scored and two steals in Thursday's win over the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After getting the first half of the doubleheader off, Kiner-Falefa returned to the lineup with a strong performance during the nightcap. The shortstop reached threes times (two singles and a walk) and stole second twice. Kiner-Falefa's second steal of the game in the eighth inning set up a game-winning RBI single by Anthony Rizzo.
Jun 2 2022Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for the first game of Thursday's doubleheader with the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Marwin Gonzalez will receive the starting nod at shortstop while Kiner-Falefa sits for the first time since May 12. Kiner-Falefa will presumably make his return to the lineup for the second game of the twin bill.
May 19 2022Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with a walk, a run, a stolen base and two RBI during Thursday's 9-6 loss to the Orioles. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa gave the Yankees a 5-3 lead in the sixth with a two-run single and tied the contest in the ninth after coming around to score following a leadoff walk and a subsequent swipe of second base. It was the shortstop's 10th multi-hit game of the season, and he's now hitting .272 with 10 RBI and five stolen bases.
May 15 2022Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a stolen base in Saturday's loss to the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Batting out of the No. 8 slot in the order, Kiner-Falefa was one of two Yankees to collect multiple hits in the contest. He also nabbed one of the team's three stolen bases, swiping second base in the ninth inning. He's collected a steal in each of his past two games and is up to four thefts on the season.
May 14 2022Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with a walk, a run, an RBI and a stolen base in Friday's 10-4 win against the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa entered the contest with no thefts since April 19, but he snapped that streak with his third-inning steal of second base. The shortstop broke through with a career-high 20 stolen bases last season, giving him decent fantasy value despite a noted lack of power. Kiner-Falefa has yet to hit a long ball in 2022, so he'll likely need to run more to retain appeal in shallower league formats.
May 12 2022Kiner-Falefa isn't starting Thursday against the White Sox, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has gone 0-for-16 with two walks and five strikeouts over his last five games, and he'll get a breather during Thursday's series opener in Chicago. Marwin Gonzalez will start at shortstop and bat eighth.
May 8 2022Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for the first game of Sunday's doubleheader with the Rangers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With Kiner-Falefa and Josh Donaldson both resting for the front end of the twin bill, the Yankees will deploy Marwin Gonzalez (shortstop) and DJ LeMahieu (third base) on the left side of the infield. Expect both Kiner-Falefa and Donaldson to rejoin the lineup for the nightcap.
Apr 20 2022Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with a walk, a run and two stolen bases in Tuesday's 4-2 win over Detroit. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa used his legs to generate a run in the second inning, leading off the frame with a walk, subsequently stealing second base, advancing to third on a wild pitch and coming home to score on a sacrifice fly. The shortstop added another theft in the fourth following a single. The steals were the first and second for Kiner-Falefa this season after he swiped a career-high 20 bags with Texas in 2021.
Apr 14 2022Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored in a 3-0 win Thursday against Toronto. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa singled and scored in the third and doubled and scored in the fifth inning off Kevin Gausman. It was easily his best game as a Yankee, as he only had one hit in his first five appearances in pinstripes. The shortstop has hit eighth or ninth in all of his starts this season and has started all but one game.
Apr 11 2022Kiner-Falefa isn't starting Monday's game against Toronto. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-11 with a double, two runs, a walk and three strikeouts while starting in each of the first three games of the season. Marwin Gonzalez will take his place at shortstop and bat ninth Monday.
Mar 22 2022Kiner-Falefa agreed to a one-year, $4.7 million contract with the Yankees on Tuesday to avoid arbitration, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Fafela is now officially under contract for 2022 after being acquired from the Twins just over a week ago. The 27-year-old hit .271/.312/.357 with eight home runs, 74 runs, 53 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 158 games last season and is expected to start at shortstop for the Yankees.
Mar 13 2022Kiner-Falefa, Josh Donaldson and Ben Rortvedt were traded from the Twins to the Yankees on Sunday in exchange for Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was dealt from the Rangers to the Twins on Saturday, and he'll be on the move once again a day later. He'll offer an upgrade at shortstop for the Yankees, while Gleyber Torres should start at the keystone. Kiner-Falefa appeared in 158 games with Texas last year and slashed .271/.312/.357 with eight homers, 74 runs, 53 RBI and 20 stolen bases.
Mar 12 2022Kiner-Falefa and right-hander Ronny Henriquez were traded from the Rangers to the Twins in exchange for catcher Mitch Garver on Saturday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was believed to be in line to serve as the Rangers' primary third baseman to begin the 2022 campaign, but he's likely to serve as Minnesota's primary shortstop after Andrelton Simmons departed via free agency during the offseason. The 26-year-old appeared in 158 games last year and hit .271 with eight homers, 74 runs, 53 RBI and 20 stolen bases.
Mar 11 2022The Rangers' third base job is Kiner-Falefa's to lose according to manager Chris Woodward, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa always seemed to be the clear favorite following Josh Jung's shoulder surgery, a procedure which will keep the prospect out for the majority if not the entirety of the upcoming season, but it's always reassuring to have that confirmed by the manager himself. The Rangers do have alternatives like Yonny Hernandez and Andy Ibanez available if Kiner-Falefa slips up, but it looks as though he can safely be drafted as an everyday player, albeit a somewhat unexciting one outside of his decent speed.
Feb 18 2022Kiner-Falefa is lined up to remain at third base for longer than expected after Josh Jung was diagnosed with a left labral strain Friday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa had been viewed as mainly a placeholder until Jung was ready to push for his major-league debut, something which could in theory have happened as early as Opening Day. While Jung's exact return timeline isn't clear, it now looks as though Kiner-Falefa should be safe in the job for at least the early part of the season before likely transitioning into a utility infielder role. He shouldn't be expected to hit for much power at all, but he did still 20 bases last season, so he'll offer a decent amount of speed for as long as he can hold onto regular playing time.
Oct 2 2021Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 9-6 loss to Cleveland. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa's survived some fallow stretches during the season, but the shortstop is finishing strong in a year during which he set a new career high with 669 plate appearances. He's slashed .352/.406/.398 over 22 games since Sept. 5 and should continue on as the team's starting shortstop in 2022.
Sep 30 2021Kiner-Falefa isn't starting Thursday's game against the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa hit .321 with two runs, two RBI and a stolen base across the last seven games, but he'll get a rare day off in Thursday's series finale. Yonny Hernandez will shift to shortstop while Brock Holt starts at third base.
Sep 24 2021Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-5 with a run scored in Friday's 8-5 win over Baltimore. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: All three of the infielder's hits were singles. Kiner-Falefa has recorded multiple hits in six of his last eight games, giving him a hearty .354 batting average in September. That's boosted his season slash line to .274/.314/.360 with seven home runs, 51 RBI, 72 runs scored and 20 stolen bases in 648 plate appearances. While there's little in the way of power in his bat, his speed and contact skills are marks in his favor.
Sep 22 2021Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base in Wednesday's loss to the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The shortstop singled in Yonny Hernandez in the fifth inning before swiping second base. The steal was his 20th of the season. Kiner-Falefa has had a career year, setting new highs in many areas including stolen bases and home runs.
Sep 19 2021Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with an RBI a run scored and a walk in Sunday's 7-2 loss to the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa drove in DJ Peters on a fifth-inning single to get the Rangers on the board. In addition, he walked and scored in the eighth frame. He has multiple hits in four of his last seven games. On the season, the 26-year-old is slashing .270/.310/.357 with seven long balls, 49 RBI, 69 runs scored and 19 steals in 627 plate appearances.
Sep 15 2021Kiner-Falefa isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Astros. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will head to the bench after he hit .346 with four runs, four RBI, a stolen base and two walks while starting each of the last six games. Yonny Hernandez will shift to shortstop while Brock Holt starts at third base.
Sep 13 2021Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-5 with two RBI, a run scored and a stolen base in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Athletics. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa totaled three singles in the game and drove in a pair of runs in the third inning. In addition, he stole his 17th base in the ninth inning. It was his first steal in 35 games since Aug. 2. The 26-year-old is slashing .263/.303/.353 with seven home runs, 48 RBI, 65 runs and 17 steals in 602 plate appearances.
Sep 7 2021Kiner-Falefa isn't starting Tuesday's game against the Diamondbacks. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa will get a rare day off after he hit .160 with three RBI, two runs and three walks across the last seven games. Yonny Hernandez will shift to shortstop while Charlie Culberson starts at third base.
Sep 6 2021Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's 7-3 win over the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa hit three singles Sunday, scoring in the third and fifth innings. In addition, he drove in Yonny Hernandez in the sixth frame. Even after his three-hit game, he is batting just .200 in his past eight games. The 26-year-old is slashing .263/.302/.357 with seven long balls, 44 RBI, 63 runs and 16 steals in 578 plate appearances.
Aug 22 2021Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-5 with a double, two runs and an RBI in Saturday's 10-1 rout of the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The shortstop continued his strong performance in August, collecting his second three-hit game of the month and pushing his batting average to .304 (24-for-79) across 19 games. He has only one home run over that span but has collected seven doubles and one triple. Kiner-Falefa is slashing .263/.298/.367 overall and has tallied seven homers, 16 stolen bases and 53 runs.
Aug 14 2021Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-5 with a run scored in Friday's 8-6 win over Oakland. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa had been mired in a mid-summer slump, so much so that Rangers manager Chris Woodward dropped him in the batting order for a stretch leading up to the All-Star break. He has since returned to batting leadoff and is surging this month, going 13-for-39 (.333) with five extra-base hits, three RBI and five runs scored over the last nine games. The shortstop has blown past his career high in plate appearances this season, so there could have been an element of fatigue that he was able to overcome.
Aug 9 2021Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a triple and an additional run scored in Sunday's 6-3 loss to the Athletics. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa tripled off James Kaprielian and scored in the sixth inning. In addition, he homered off Yusmeiro Petit in the eighth frame. It was his first long ball in 41 games with his last one coming June 19. The 26-year-old is slashing .258/.292/.362 with seven home runs, 37 RBI, 50 runs and a team-leading 16 steals in 470 plate appearances.
Aug 6 2021Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-5 with a double and one RBI in Friday's 4-1 loss to Oakland. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa drove in the Rangers' only run with his fifth-inning single. Friday was his second three-hit performance in the last three games, raising his season slash line to .259/.293/.353 with 27 extra-base hits through 109 games. The 26-year-old has gone 8-for-25 (.320) with two doubles in six games this month.
Aug 4 2021Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored Wednesday against the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa managed only his second multi-hit effort across his last 26 starts and first since July 23. He's gone ice cold at the plate, as his double was only his fourth extra-base hit since July 1. For the season, Kiner-Falefa has a .258/.293/.351 line with six home runs, 48 runs scored, 35 RBI and 16 stolen bases across 452 plate appearances on the season.
Jul 23 2021Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-5 with two RBI in Thursday's 7-5 loss to Detroit. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa singled home a pair of runs in the sixth inning, just his third and fourth RBI over the last 26 games. He's been in a summer swoon, which has had manager Chris Woodward moving him up and down the order. He's back to leadoff again, but the struggles endure. Kiner-Falefa is slashing .157/.189/.186 with just two walks over his last 106 plate appearances.
Jul 21 2021Kiner-Falefa isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Tigers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa started in each of the five games after the All-Star break, and he went 4-for-18 with a double and four strikeouts. Charlie Culberson will start at shortstop and bat eighth.
Jul 17 2021Kiner-Falefa batted leadoff and went 1-for-5 in Friday's 10-2 loss to the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa entered the All-Star break in a slump, having just nine hits over 70 at-bats (.129), and had been dropped to the bottom of the order for a spell. Rangers manager Chris Woodward put him back at leadoff the weekend before the break, but the shortstop remains mired in a slump.
Jul 9 2021Kiner-Falefa is hitting leadoff Friday against Oakland. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has seen more time atop the lineup than any other Ranger this season, but he was dropped to the bottom of the lineup earlier this week in the midst of a 6-for-44 slump. He's still struggling at the dish -- he's logged just one hit in his last 19 at-bats -- but will move back to the top of the order Friday against southpaw Cole Irvin.
Jul 7 2021Kiner-Falefa batted ninth and went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI in Tuesday's 10-5 win over the Tigers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa began the day hitless in his last 11 at-bats, and the streak reached 12 before he plated two with a fourth-inning double. The slumping shortstop is batting .127 (7-for-55) over the last 14 games and his OPS is down to .668. That's part of the reason he was dropped to ninth in the order, the first time he's hit that low since July 31 of last season. It should be noted that Kiner-Falefa is entering uncharted territory in terms of plate appearances. He's made 367 trips to the plate this season, just 29 shy of the career high he set in 2018. Fatigue could be a factor, something that manager Chris Woodward mentioned when speaking with Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. "Anytime you are struggling, it wears on you mentally and physically. He's absolutely fatigued and there's nothing we can do about it. He's just got to push through," Woodward said. It's possible the manager gives Kiner-Falefa the day off Wednesday, which coupled with Thursday's off-day would give him a two-day respite.
Jul 5 2021Kiner-Falefa batted eighth in the order and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa, who has batted leadoff more than any other Ranger, was dropped to eighth amid a recent slump. The shortstop entered Sunday's contest batting .136 (6-for-44) over the last 10 games, so manager Chris Woodward moved him down the order to take some pressure off him, per Doug Drawley of the Dallas Morning News. Eli White batted leadoff Sunday.
Jul 2 2021Kiner-Falefa is not starting Friday's game against the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The shortstop is omitted from the lineup for just the second time all season, and the first time since April 17. In his last nine games, Kiner-Falefa has hit .150 with one walk, two runs scored and zero RBI. Charlie Culberson gets the start at shortstop for the series opener.
Jul 1 2021Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with two singles in Wednesday's 3-1 loss to the Athletics. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Rangers couldn't muster much offense against Oakland starter Chris Bassitt (seven shutout innings), but Kiner-Falefa at least did his part atop the batting order with a pair of base hits. Even so, manager Chris Woodward could soon consider a change atop the lineup, as Kiner-Falefa's productivity has largely fallen off since mid-June. Kiner-Falefa slashed .180/.206/.246 with one home run and no stolen bases over the Rangers' final 14 games of the month.
Jun 20 2021Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a double in Saturday's loss to the Twins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was one of three players that recorded multi-hit games for Texas, but he caused a big impact on offense since he represented all the offense the team was able to muster with his two-run shot in the third inning off Randy Dobnak. The shortstop now has six homers on the season and has hit safely in all but one game this month, which translates to a .323 average across 65 at-bats in June.
Jun 14 2021Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-4 with an RBI, a walk and a stolen base in Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Dodgers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa drove in Jonah Heim in the ninth inning as a part of a late rally by the Rangers. In addition, he added his 15th steal this season in the first inning in a double steal with Joey Gallo. The 26-year-old trails just Whit Merrifield in steals in all of baseball. He is slashing .294/.330/.415 with five homers, 26 RBI and 37 runs in 283 plate appearances as the primary leadoff hitter.
Jun 12 2021Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-5 with a double, two runs, an RBI, three stolen bases and a strikeout as the Rangers beat the Dodgers 12-1 Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was Texas' catalyst on the game, singling and stealing second and third in the first, reaching via error, stealing second and scoring in the third, doubling and scoring in the seventh, hitting a sacrifice fly in the eighth and singling in the ninth. He's now recorded a hit in all 10 June games and the three steals bring his season total to 14, second most in the majors behind Whit Merrifield.
Jun 10 2021Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base in Wednesday's 4-3 extra-innings win over San Francisco. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa played a key role in the win. He plated the Rangers' first run on an RBI-groundout in the sixth inning, then came around to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth after a leadoff single and stolen base. Later, his walk was part of an 11th-inning rally that led to Brock Holt's walkoff single. Kiner-Falefa is batting .291/.327/.410 with 11 steals, five home runs and 21 RBI through 63 games. He's also working on a nice little eight-game hitting streak.
Jun 3 2021Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run Wednesday in the Rangers' 6-3 loss to the Rockies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has now gone 10 games without a home run or stolen base, but he's at least brought value to fantasy managers with a .293 average, five RBI and four runs over that span. The 26-year-old has already banked five home runs and 10 steals on the season to go along with a stellar .283 batting average, making him a major source of profit for those who invested a late-round pick or early season waiver pickup into him. And in leagues where he's eligible at catcher after starting in 31 games at the position in 2019, Kiner-Falefa's value is enhanced even further.
May 22 2021Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored during Saturday's 8-4 win against Houston. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 26-year-old has multi-hit efforts in the first two games of the series after going 0-for-10 over the previous three contests. Kiner-Falefa has a .291/.332/.439 slash line with five homers, nine doubles, 20 RBI, 10 stolen bases and 29 runs in 48 games in 2021.
May 14 2021Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored in Friday's 10-4 loss to Houston. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has now racked up six multi-hit games during May, raising his season average from .252 to .296 in the process. He's collected 14 extra-base hits and 27 runs scored alongside an .802 OPS.
May 12 2021Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-3, was hit by a pitch, stole a base and scored a run in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Giants. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa swiped his seventh bag of the season, putting him one shy of his MLB career high recorded in 2020. He's not known as a pure base stealer but reached double digits in the minors a couple of times, albeit with a low percentage. The success rate is what's noteworthy thus far, as he's been caught just once in eight attempts.
May 9 2021Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-5 and scored three times during Sunday's 10-2 win over the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa reached base on four of his at-bats and came around to score three times as the Rangers piled on 10 runs in their best offensive performance of the season. The 26-year-old has been incredibly productive in May, as he has five multi-hit performances to go along with two home runs, eight RBI and nine runs scored in nine games. He's proving to be one of the better leadoff hitters in the league and will look to keep up his high level of play when the team travels to San Francisco for a quick two-game series against the Giants.
May 3 2021Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run and a second run scored in Sunday's 5-3 win over Boston. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa teed off on Boston pitching during the four-game series, launching three home runs and a triple while knocking in four runs. Sunday's two-hit performance extended his hit streak to five games, during which he's gone 8-for-19.
May 1 2021Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-5 with a solo homer and two runs batted in during Saturday's victory over the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The right-handed hitter smashed a solo shot in the fifth inning off Eduardo Rodriguez and then knocked in teammate Charlie Culberson on a triple in the fourth. The 26-year-old is slashing .267/.303/.422 in 2021.
Apr 29 2021Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a strikeout in Thursday's 4-1 win over Boston. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Returning to his customary role atop the lineup, Kiner-Falefa took reliever Hirokazu Sawamura deep in the seventh to extend Texas' lead. It was the infielders first long ball in nearly three weeks.
Apr 28 2021Kiner-Falefa will bat seventh and start at shortstop Wednesday against the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has batted either first or second in all 23 of his starts to date, but he'll drop all the way to the bottom third of the order with right-hander Alex Cobb on the hill for the Angels in the series finale. The plunge down the lineup is likely less of a demotion for Kiner-Falefa and more of a promotion for Nick Solak, who will climb up to the two hole after batting .400 with six home runs over his last 12 games. During that same stretch, Kiner-Falefa is slashing a much more modest .265/.294/.306.
Apr 25 2021Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-5 with a stolen base and a run scored in Sunday's 8-4 loss to the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: All three of Kiner-Falefa's hits were singles. He added a stolen base in the first inning. In the sixth inning, he scored on an Adolis Garcia groundout. The 26-year-old Kiner-Falefa is slashing .258/.289/.366 with four stolen bases, two home runs, eight RBI and 13 runs scored across 98 plate appearances.
Apr 23 2021Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-5 with a run, an RBI and a stolen base in Friday's 9-7 loss to the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa swiped his third base of the season in the fifth inning before coming around to score on an Adolis Garcia homer. He then drove in the game-tying run in the sixth. The 26-year-old raised his season average to .238 in 84 at-bats.
Apr 17 2021Kiner-Falefa isn't starting Saturday's game against the Orioles. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa had started each of the first 14 games of the season and hit .233 with two home runs, seven RBI and two stolen bases. Charlie Culberson will take over as the shortstop Saturday, batting eighth.
Apr 14 2021Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-5 with a stolen base and an RBI in Tuesday's 8-3 win over Tampa Bay. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Rangers were coming off a 22-inning scoreless streak and got contributions up and down the order, including Kiner-Falefa, who delivered multiple hits for the second time in the last four games and pilfered his second bag of the season. He's not a freaky speed guy, but Kiner-Falefa stole eight bases in 58 games last season and is on pace for double digits in 2021.
Apr 11 2021Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and three RBI in the 7-4 loss to the Padres on Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa continues to be a bright spot in a lackluster Rangers offense, leading the team in batting average (.273). Besides teammate Nate Lowe, Kiner-Falefa is the only one producing runs on the Rangers, with six RBI and seven runs scored in eight games. The 26-year-old will get a lot of at-bats as the primary leadoff hitter, but the Rangers aren't expected to score as many runs as most teams.
Apr 6 2021Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a run scored in Monday's 6-2 loss to the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has been a bright spot as the leadoff hitter for the 1-3 Rangers, going 6-for-17 with a walk and five runs scored over four games. He took over at leadoff during spring training and slashed .351/.415/.514 atop the order in Cactus League play. Given the way he's started the regular season, he should remain locked into that role.
Apr 4 2021Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBI in Sunday's 7-3 win over the Royals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa contributed a two-run single in the fourth inning and a solo shot in the ninth. The 26-year-old infielder has opened 2021 as the Rangers' primary shortstop. He went 4-for-13 (.308) with a homer, three RBI, four runs scored and a double in the three-game series versus the Royals over the first weekend of the season. Kiner-Falefa hit leadoff in all three games -- he has the ability to put up decent run totals and add a few stolen bases if he remains in that spot, although he's yet to attempt a steal in 2021.
Mar 15 2021Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-2 with a double in Sunday's spring game against the Rockies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa is 4-for-16 with two doubles, one RBI and two runs scored over eight Cactus League games. It's a less eventful spring than in 2020, when the infielder was the hitting star of camp, bashing four home runs with 11 RBI and a 1.069 OPS. He didn't have a set role entering spring training last season, but the productive camp led to a gig as the primary third baseman and eventually to his role as the team's starter at shortstop for 2021. With a .670 OPS over 846 plate appearances at the major-league level, Kiner-Falefa projects modest production more suited to shortstop than third base.
Jan 15 2021Kiner-Falefa avoided arbitration Friday by signing a one-year, $2 million deal with the Rangers, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa moved out from behind the plate in 2020, spending all his time at third base and shortstop. His .280/.329/.370 slash line was poor for the hot corner but decent enough at short, where he's expected to spend the majority of his time this season.
Dec 1 2020Kiner-Falefa will be the Rangers' starting shortstop in 2021, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This is both a symbolic move and a baseball move, as Elvis Andrus (back) had been the team's starting shortstop for over a decade, and the Rangers are looking to usher in a new era. Kiner-Falefa is a great defender, but he hit a modest .280/.329/.370 with three home runs and eight steals in 58 games. That type of production is a better fit at shortstop than third base. This move also clears the way at third base for highly touted prospect Josh Jung, who could debut in 2021. Andrus will move to a bench role going forward.
Sep 23 2020Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-4 with a two-RBI triple during the Rangers' 7-3 loss to the Diamondbacks on Wednesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was one of just three Rangers with an extra-base hit. Still hitting .289 for the season, the 25-year-old finds himself in a 4-for-27 slump.
Sep 22 2020Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's 8-5 loss to the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa ended a hitless streak Sunday and followed up Monday with his first extra-base hit in 12 games. The underlying Statcast metrics indicate he's an improved hitter relative to 2019, but Kiner-Falefa has out-performed his expected results in 2020. While there's reason to be more sanguine on Kiner-Falefa as a hitter, his batting profile may play better at shortstop than at third base.
Sep 21 2020Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-5 with a run scored Sunday in the Rangers' 7-2 win over the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa's seventh-inning single ended an 0-for-18 skid for the 25-year-old, whose batting average now sits at .290 on the campaign. With only two home runs in 200 plate appearances, Kiner-Falefa's average has been fairly empty, but he's still been a source of profit for fantasy managers thanks to his eight stolen bases along with the fact that he retains eligibility at catcher in most leagues. He'll man the hot corner and bat third Monday in the series finale with the Angels.
Sep 9 2020Kiner-Falefa went 4-for-4 with two runs scored, a double and a stolen base Wednesday against the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa extended his hitting streak to 12 games in impressive fashion, reaching base each time he came to the plate. In addition, he swiped his eighth bag of the season. His current hot stretch at the dish has increased his line to .322/.368/.420 across 155 plate appearances to this point in the campaign, and he's also chipped in 21 runs scored and seven RBI.
Sep 8 2020Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in Monday's 8-4 loss to Seattle. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa, who is thriving in the second spot in the batting order, has hit safely in 10 straight contests. He's 16-for-40 with seven runs scored and a .904 OPS during the streak.
Sep 7 2020Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base Sunday in the Rangers' 4-3 loss to the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has found a home as the No. 2 hitter in the Rangers' lineup. He's occupied that spot in the batting order for each of the team's first six games of September, going 10-for-25 with a solo home run, two additional runs and a stolen base. Kiner-Falefa will draw another start in Monday's series finale, once again batting second while manning third base.
Sep 2 2020Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-4 with a solo home run during Wednesday's loss to the Astros. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa got the Rangers on the board with a solo homer off Cristian Javier in the fourth inning. It was the second long ball of the year for the 25-year-old, who leads Texas in batting average (.284), on-base percentage (.341) and hits (33).
Sep 1 2020Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs in a victory over the Astros on Tuesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa extended his hitting streak to four games with the performance, though each of his seven base knocks in that stretch have been singles. The The 25-year-old is slashing .286/.344/.375 on the season.
Aug 24 2020Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Monday's 3-2 win over the Athletics. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa gave Texas a lead they wouldn't relinquish when he took Jesus Luzardo deep for an opposite-field long ball in the second inning. It was the utility man's first homer on the season after hitting just five round-trippers across his first two seasons in the majors.
Aug 18 2020Kiner-Falefa started at shortstop and went 0-for-3 with a walk in Tuesday's 6-4 loss to the Padres. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa, the Rangers' primary starter at third base, is being asked to cover shortstop while Elvis Andrus (back) is unavailable. After running a hot bat over the first 15 games, Kiner-Falefa's run into a cold spell. He has one hit in his previous 15 at-bats.
Aug 16 2020Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll be getting his first day off since July 26, allowing Todd Frazier to pick up a start at the hot corner. Not only has Kiner-Falefa solidified himself as the Rangers' everyday third baseman, but his .290/.343/.387 slash line -- while not outstanding -- has been good enough for him to displace Elvis Andrus as the team's primary No. 2 hitter for the past week. While Kiner-Falefa should continue to provide a decent batting average even once his inflated .367 BABIP normalizes, the bulk of his fantasy value comes from his wheels. He's gone 5-for-6 in stolen-base opportunities so far this season.
Aug 15 2020Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-5 with a stolen base in Saturday's 6-4 win over the Rockies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa got aboard with a single in the third inning and then executed a double-steal with Shin-Soo Choo. The 25-year-old Kiner-Falefa now has five steals in six attempts this season. He's hitting .290 with no homers, two RBI and nine runs scored in 17 games.
Aug 7 2020Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Friday's 4-3 win over the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa scored the tying run in the fourth inning on a throwing error by Angels pitcher Griffin Canning. He also got aboard with a single in the sixth, and then recorded his fourth stolen base of the year. Kiner-Falefa has hit safely in five straight games, going 9-for-18 with two steals and four runs scored in that span. For the year, he's hitting .353 with an RBI, six runs scored and two triples. The hot hitting is making a case for the 25-year-old to hit higher in the order.
Aug 6 2020Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored in Thursday's 6-4 loss to the Athletics. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa is one of the few bats in the Rangers' lineup hitting with regularity. He leads the team's starters with a .333 average. While he's driven in just one run, Kiner-Falefa is making an impact on the bases with three steals and five runs scored.
Aug 5 2020Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-4 with an RBI single and a stolen base in Wednesday's 6-4 loss to the Athletics. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa knocked in Robinson Chirinos with an infield single in the fourth inning, then stole second with two outs, but the 25-year-old couldn't come around to score. Kiner-Falefa has seen regular time at third base recently. He's hitting .269 with three steals, one RBI and three runs scored in eight games this season.
Jul 29 2020Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-3 with two runs scored, two stolen bases and a walk during Wednesday's 7-4 win over the Diamondbacks. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 25-year-old missed two games with the hamstring injury to start the week, but he showed no signs of the injury with the two steals Wednesday. Kiner-Falefa is 2-for-8 with a triple, two runs, two stolen bases and two walks through three games.
Jul 28 2020Kiner-Falefa (hamstring) will bat ninth and play third base Tuesday against Arizona. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was the team's Opening Day third baseman but missed the last two games with hamstring tightness. He returns as expected Tuesday, pushing Todd Frazier back to first base.
Jul 27 2020Rangers manager Chris Woodward expects Kiner-Falefa (hamstring) to return Tuesday, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa has experienced discomfort since running out a triple in the season-opener Friday. He was held out of games over the weekend and gets a team day off Monday, which may be enough time for a return. "He's better," Woodward said Sunday morning. "I think he'll be ready after the off-day. It's more of a precaution, not trying to make something that was not a big deal. Right now, I'm hopeful he'll be 100 percent after the off-day." Todd Frazier moved across the diamond from first base to start at third base over the weekend, while Ronald Guzman (Saturday) and Rob Refsnyder (Sunday) filled in at first base.
Jul 26 2020Kiner-Falefa (hamstring) is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 25-year-old was scratched from Saturday's starting nine with left hamstring tightness, and he won't return to the lineup for the series finale. The Rangers have a scheduled off day Monday, so the team may just be exercising caution with the early season injury. Todd Frazier will move to third base Sunday while Rob Refsnyder receives the start at first base.
Jul 25 2020Kiner-Falefa was scratched from Saturday's lineup with left hamstring tightness. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa was slated to make his second consecutive start Saturday after logging a triple Friday, but left hamstring tightness will prevent him from doing so. It's unclear how much time he could miss as a result. Todd Frazier will shift to third base with Ronald Guzman starting at first base and batting eighth Saturday.
Jul 21 2020Kiner-Falefa is expected to open the season as the Rangers' starting third baseman, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 25-year-old hit .378 with four homers in spring training and .295 with two homers in summer training, prompting manager Chris Woodward to provide him with the starting opportunity. The previous expected starter at third base, Todd Frazier, will move across the diamond and see most of the playing time at first base.
Jul 15 2020Manager Chris Woodward said Kiner-Falefa has the "edge" in the competition for a starting corner-infield spot, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. "He's been our best guy, honestly," Woodward noted. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa's impressive spring has vaulted him ahead of Greg Bird and Ronald Guzman in the battle for a spot in the Rangers' starting infield. Should the 25-year-old lock up his place in the starting lineup, Todd Frazier would shift to first base while Kiner-Falefa steps in at third.
Jul 8 2020Kiner-Falefa has six hits in 11 at-bats over five intra-squad games in summer camp, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa, who was the hottest-hitting Ranger during spring training, picked up this summer where he left off before the season was suspended in March. The Rangers are looking at the corner infield spots, which are not set with two weeks before Opening Day, and Kiner-Falefa's bat puts him in the mix at third base. If that happens, manager Chris Woodward could move Todd Frazier to first base where neither Ronald Guzman nor Greg Bird are seizing that position.
Jul 2 2020Kiner-Falefa's productive spring has the Rangers considering him as the starting third baseman, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Todd Frazier was the presumptive starter at the hot corner when he signed with Texas, but Kiner-Falefa put a charge into the ball during spring training, going 14-for-37 (.378) with four home runs and 11 RBI over 15 games. If the team is confident the changes Kiner-Falefa made to his stance result in improved production going forward, then manager Chris Woodward can move Frazier to first base and scrap the competition between Ronald Guzman and Greg Bird.
Mar 8 2020Kiner-Falefa changed his batting stance during the offseason, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Instead of an open stance, Kiner-Falefa is now more square to the plate. He feels it puts his legs in better position to drive the ball. "I always felt I could hit, but it was a lot harder to time the ball when I was open," Kiner-Falefa said. "I pretty much had to be perfect. Now when the pitcher comes at me, I can just fire my legs. Now that I am square, I am ready." The improvement has been remarkable. The utility infielder went 2-for-2 with a double, three RBI and a run scored Sunday and is batting .419 (13-for-31) with five extra-base hits, 11 RBI and 10 runs scored over 13 Cactus League appearances.
Mar 4 2020Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-2 with a home run and a walk in Tuesday's spring game against the Giants. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa is tearing it up in camp, posting a 1.075 OPS with three home runs and five RBI over a team-leading 22 spring at-bats. He started at third base Tuesday, his fourth start at the hot corner, but he also has starts at second base and shortstop. He's expected to make the Opening Day roster as a utility infielder.
Mar 2 2020Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a second run scored in Sunday's spring game against the Dodgers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa started at shortstop, the fourth time during spring training he's manned that position. He's also played third base three times and second base once. The experiment with him at catcher is on hold for now, so he'll need to make the team as a utility infielder. If shortstop Elvis Andrus' production continues to slide, as it did in 2019, Kiner-Falefa could be in line for regular duty.
Sep 29 2019Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in Saturday's 9-4 win over the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kiner-Falefa started at third base while Nick Solak got the day off. With the third base position wide open entering 2020, Kiner-Falefa will be competing for the job next spring, although Solak's impressive stint since being called up in August gives him a leg up.
Sep 22 2019Kiner-Falefa started at catcher and went 0-for-4 in Saturday's 12-3 loss to the Athletics. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With the chances of Jeff Mathis (back) playing again this season, the Rangers had Kiner-Falefa behind the plate for the first time since June 6. It's surprising to see him catching again. The Rangers arranged their roster to add Tim Federowicz as backup insurance, and the club appeared committed to having Kiner-Falefa focus on his infield work.
Aug 30 2019Kiner-Falefa started at third base and went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI in Thursday's 5-3 loss to the Mariners.
Aug 29 2019Kiner-Falefa started at third base and went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI in Wednesday's 3-0 win over the Angels.
Aug 27 2019Kiner-Falefa was recalled by the Rangers on Tuesday.
Aug 21 2019Kiner-Falefa was optioned to Double-A Frisco on Wednesday.
Aug 20 2019Kiner-Falefa isn't in the starting lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Angels, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Aug 19 2019Kiner-Falefa is not starting Monday against the Angels, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Aug 18 2019Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins.
Aug 15 2019Kiner-Falefa is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Twins.
Aug 13 2019Kiner-Falefa isn't in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Blue Jays.
Aug 12 2019Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-3 with an RBI in Sunday's 1-0 win over Milwaukee.
Aug 9 2019Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Brewers.
Aug 7 2019Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader with the Indians.
Aug 6 2019Kiner-Falefa is not in the lineup Tuesday against Cleveland.
Aug 4 2019Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Tigers.
Jul 31 2019Kiner-Falefa will be recalled from Triple-A Nashville to start at third base for the Rangers, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.
Jul 20 2019The Rangers activated Kiner-Falefa (finger) from the 10-day injured list Saturday and optioned him to Triple-A Nashville, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 20 2019The Rangers activated Kiner-Falefa (finger) from the 10-day injured list Saturday and optioned him to Triple-A Round Rock, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 6 2019Texas manager Chris Woodward said it could be \"a couple of weeks\" before Kiner-Falefa (finger) is activated off the injured list, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 4 2019Kiner-Falefa (finger) is 1-for-10 with a double, two RBI and a run scored in three rehab games for Triple-A Nashville.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 1 2019Kiner-Falefa (finger) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Nashville on Monday, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 29 2019Kiner-Falefa (finger) practiced throwing down to second base prior to Friday's game, Dawn Klemish of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 26 2019Kiner-Falefa (finger) took live batting practice Wednesday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 16 2019Kiner-Falefa (finger) has begun to take batting practice, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 7 2019Kiner-Falefa (finger) was placed on the 10-day injured list<\/a> with a sprained ligament in his right middle finger.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 7 2019Kiner-Falefa (finger) was placed on the 10-day injured list<\/a> Friday with a sprained ligament in his right middle finger.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 6 2019Kiner-Falefa left Thursday's game against the Orioles due to a jammed right middle finger, Levi Weaver of The Athletic<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 6 2019Kiner-Falefa may require a trip to the injured list after leaving Thursday night's contest against Baltimore with a jammed finger on his right hand, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 30 2019Kiner-Falefa is not in the lineup<\/a> Thursday against the Royals.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 29 2019Kiner-Falefa is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Mariners, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 27 2019Kiner-Falefa is not in the lineup<\/a> Monday against the Mariners.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 25 2019Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup<\/a> for Saturday's game against the Angels.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 21 2019Kiner-Falefa is not in Tuesday's lineup<\/a> against the Mariners.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 19 2019Kiner-Falefa is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 17 2019Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-4 with two walks and a run scored in Thursday's 16-1 win over the Royals.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 15 2018Kiner-Falefa will remain with the Rangers as the backup catcher and utility infielder, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.The Rangers have a decision to make during the All-Star break about the future of catcher Carlos Perez, who completed a minor-league rehabilitation assignment and who is out of option. Regardless of how the organization handles Perez, it won't affect Kiner-Falefa's spot on the 25-man roster. "He has earned the opportunity to stay here," manager Jeff Banister said of Kiner-Falefa. "He's played well enough to earn that." At the time of Perez's injury, the Rangers opted to have Kiner-Falefa, who had started catching two years ago in the minors, expand his workload. He's made seven starts at catcher and is expected to get another opportunity Sunday.
Jul 10 2018Kiner-Falefa started at third base and went 0-for-3 with a walk in Monday's 5-0 loss to the Red Sox.This was Kiner-Falefa's first infield start since the Rangers announced he was becoming the team's primary backup at catcher. He's made six starts since that announcement -- all at catcher. That the Rangers are incorporating infield starts back to his responsibilities suggests he's handled the transition to catcher well. "It's a monumental challenge to do this," Rangers manager Jeff Banister told Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. "But he has been able to handle all the challenges we've given him. We feel confident he's comfortable enough behind the plate and that he can separate the two. A hybrid player like this can be pretty special. It will be fun to watch." Kiner-Falefa is expected to catch one more game during the series in Boston as he inches toward qualifying as a catcher for the 2019 season.
Jul 6 2018Kiner-Falefa went 2-for-4 with a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base in Thursday's 7-5 win over the Tigers.Kiner-Falefa made his fifth start behind the plate for the Rangers and threw out his second would-be base stealer in three attempts. Since adding backup catcher to this portfolio, Kiner-Falefa has started just six of the last 15 games.
Jun 24 2018Kiner-Falefa will be the starting catcher for Bartolo Colon in Sunday's matchup against the Twins, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.Kiner-Falefa will be making his second start since being anointed the Rangers' backup catcher. He made his first MLB start as a catcher Wednesday and has not played since.
Jun 21 2018Kiner-Falefa started at catcher and went 1-for-4 in Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Royals.Kiner-Falefa made his first start at catcher in the majors, oddly enough catching hyphenated starter Austin Bibens-Dirkx while guiding the journeyman minor-leaguer through 6.2 strong innings. The Royals attempted to steal bases twice off the Rangers' new backup catcher, who successfully caught Hunter Dozier for the game's final out. That was Dozier's first attempted steal as a major-leaguer, so Kiner-Falefa was clearly being tested. The 23-year-old has shown the Rangers enough that they'd like to see what he can do with more exposure to MLB, so they've creatively found a way to keep him around.
Jun 19 2018Kiner-Falefa went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a walk in Tuesday's win over the Royals.It wasn't a flawless night as he was also caught stealing and committed an error, but he still tied a season high by reaching base four times. The versatile 23-year-old has already started games this year at third base, second base and shortstop and now could be in line to earn eligibility behind the plate as the club's newly designated backup catcher. He's expected to get the nod behind the plate Wednesday, and he'll carry a .255/.333/.365 slash line into the contest.
Jun 19 2018Kiner-Falefa will start at catcher Wednesday against the Royals, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.The Rangers sent Jose Trevino back to Double-A Frisco on Monday, leaving Kiner-Falefa as the only player on the roster, other than starter Robinson Chirinos, with a history behind the plate. Wednesday's start will be his first in the majors, but the middle infielder has started 67 games at catcher over three minor-league seasons. The Rangers will also expose him to the outfield as well.
Jun 17 2018Kiner-Falefa has experience in the minor leagues as a catcher and could be used in that role while he's up with the Rangers, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.The pending return of shortstop Elvis Andrus (elbow) will set off a domino effect. Jurickson Profar will shift back to utility infielder, leaving the Rangers trying to find opportunities to get Kiner-Falefa in the lineup. He's caught 69 games in the minors and was used there during spring training. "We'd like to see him behind the plate," manager Jeff Banister said. "We like what we saw in spring training. He's got the athleticism and the skill-set to do it." The other alternative is to have him go back to the minors where he'll play every day.
Jun 16 2018Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in Friday's 9-5 loss to Colorado.Kiner-Falefa got the start at second base after sitting out the last two games. He had been getting starts at third base while manager Jeff Banister practiced caution with Adrian Beltre, the starting third baseman who's spent two stints on the disabled list this season. However, Banister had Beltre in the lineup at third base for a third straight game Friday.
Jun 1 2018Kiner-Falefa started at third base and went 1-for-4 in Thursday's 6-1 loss to Seattle.Thursday marked the return of third baseman Adrian Beltre, who was activated off the disabled list, but he served as the designated hitter while Kiner-Falefa started in the field. The Rangers plan to use Beltre as a DH at times in an effort to manage the 39-year-old's body, so Kiner-Falefa should continue to get a few starts per week.
May 25 2018Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-3 with a walk, a double and an RBI in Thursday's 8-2 loss to the Royals.Kiner-Falefa has hit safely in three straight, going 5-for-10 with four walks, two extra-base hits, three runs and four RBI. As the Rangers begin to accept their 2018 fate as a non-playoff team, it has afforded them the opportunity to get Kiner-Falefa plenty of at-bats. That figures to be the case for the rest of the season, even when Adrian Beltre (hamstring) and Elvis Andrus (elbow) return from injuries. With those two regulars on the disabled list, Kiner-Falefa ranks second among healthy Rangers in batting average (.262) and on-base percentage (.340). That modest proficiency at the plate has prompted manager Jeff Banister to use him up in the order. The 23-year-old infielder has batted second or third over the last six games.
May 20 2018Kiner-Falefa is not in the lineup Sunday against the White Sox, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.Kiner-Falefa will head to the bench for what appears to be a routine day of rest following Saturday's contest in which he was hit by a pitch on two separate occasions. Hanser Alberto will man the hot corner in his stead.
May 16 2018Kiner-Falefa started at third base and went 1-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored in Tuesday's 9-8 extra-inning loss to the Mariners.Kiner-Falefa got the first start in place of injured third baseman Adrian Beltre, who was placed on the disabled list Tuesday with a sore hamstring. Beltre's return date is unknown, but there's a feeling that he came back too soon from an earlier hamstring injury that cost him 12 games. Kiner-Falefa will be the primary fill-in for however long it takes Beltre to get back. With Beltre having been on the disabled list for 74 of the club's previous 204 games, a strong case can be made to make Beltre a part-time third baseman/designated hitter. In that event, Kiner-Falefa would have a semi-regular role in Rangers' starting lineup.
May 14 2018Kiner-Falefa started Sunday's game at second base, then moved to third after Adrian Beltre departed with a hamstring injury. He went 0-for-4 in a 6-1 loss to the Rangers.The Rangers are already talking about the disabled list for Beltre, who spent a stint on the DL with the same hamstring injury he aggravated Sunday. Kiner-Falefa had moved to a utility role last week when Beltre and Rougned Odor returned from injuries, but should be back for regular duty in the starting lineup at third base for as long as Beltre is unavailable.
May 12 2018Kiner-Falefa was not in the starting lineup Friday and will move into an infield utility role going forward, Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News reports.The Rangers welcomed back second baseman Rougned Odor (hamstring) from the disabled list Friday, moving Kiner-Falefa to the bench for the first time in 25 games. He'll be the primary fill-in at second base, shortstop and third base. There should be a couple of starting opportunities the next few days. Manager Jeff Banister plans to start Kiner-Falefa at third base Sunday for Adrian Beltre, and the manager said he wants to give a break to shortstop Jurickson Profar, whose start Friday was his 20th consecutive.
May 2 2018Kiner-Falefa went 4-for-6 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 8-6 win over the Indians.With just 18 plate appearances at the Triple-A level, Kiner-Falefa has made more of an impact in the majors than we thought at the time of his promotion. Tuesday's effort was his second four-hit game of the season and the homer also his second. He hadn't homered over his first four minor-league seasons before hitting five at Double-A Frisco in 2017. He's hit safely in 11 of his last 13 contests, going 18-for-51 (.353) with an .890 OPS during that run. As the Rangers' injured infielders return to action, Kiner-Falefa's playing time will dry up, but the experience should put him on the fantasy radar going forward.
Apr 29 2018Kiner-Falefa will hit third and man second base Sunday against the Blue Jays.Kiner-Falefa also hit third Saturday when lefty Jaime Garcia started for Toronto, going 1-for-5 with two strikeouts in the contest. With Kiner-Falefa's second straight start out of the three hole coinciding with another southpaw (J.A. Happ) taking the hill for the Jays, it appears the infielder will continue to occupy a premium spot in the Texas lineup against opposite-handed pitching for the time being.
Apr 26 2018Kiner-Falefa started at third base in place of the injured Adrian Beltre (hamstring) and went 1-for-3 with a stolen base, an RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Athletics.Kiner-Falefa's been a nice boon to a Rangers' offense that ranks 22nd in batting average and 24th in runs per game. He doesn't offer much in the way of power, but has hit safely in seven of the last eight games to raise his average to .277. Manager Jeff Banister has moved him up in the order as a result of proficiency with a bat. With second baseman Rougned Odor (hamstring) on the verge of coming back -- possibly next week -- Kiner-Falefa's window of at-bats will continue as the third baseman for as long as Beltre is sidelined.
Apr 24 2018Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored in Monday's 9-4 loss to Oakland.Kiner-Falefa came to the majors with a good glove, but has also provided some good at-bats early on. He's hit in six straight games, going 10-for-24 (.417) with two doubles and three RBI and is hitting .293 since his call-up. With Delino DeShields back atop the batting order, Kiner-Falefa has been moved to the lower third, a problem area for the Rangers so far, and is providing some offense. Fantasy owners can expect at least another week of consistent playing time, as Rougned Odor (hamstring) hasn't begun running yet.
Apr 22 2018Kiner-Falefa will start at second base and bat seventh Sunday against the Mariners.With a .294/.333/.412 line through his first 10 games in the big leagues, Kiner-Falefa has done his part to at least temporarily solidify himself as the Rangers' everyday second baseman until Rougned Odor (hamstring) is ready to come off the disabled list. However, after hitting out of the two hole in three of the Rangers' past four games, Kiner-Falefa doesn't look to be in line for a prominent spot in the lineup for the foreseeable future. With Delino DeShields (hand) returning from the DL on Sunday to occupy the leadoff spot on a full-time basis, Kiner-Falefa will plummet to the bottom third of the order.
Apr 17 2018Kiner-Falefa went 4-for-5 with a double in Tuesday's 7-2 win over the Rays.It's odd the Kiner-Falefa had four hits, but he didn't factor into any of the Rangers' seven runs. The hits raised his average to .273, but prior to Tuesday, he'd done little with the stick. He entered the game with two hits in 17 at-bats while striking out nine times. The young infielder had been starting at second base, but moved to shortstop Tuesday after the Rangers placed Jurickson Profar in the concussion protocol. Kiner-Falefa's primarily played short in the minors, but should find himself in the starting lineup most nights at either keystone position with Profar, Elvis Andrus (elbow) and Rougned Odor (hamstring) sidelined.
Apr 15 2018Kiner-Falefa went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 6-5 extra-inning win over the Astros.The Astros had just put up a five-spot in the bottom of the fourth inning when Kiner-Falefa ignited the Rangers' dugout a half-inning later with his first home run as a major leaguer. It was a surprising bolt from a player with five career home runs in in 463 career minor-league games. The 23-year-old infielder has made two consecutive starts and should continue to be the primary second baseman with Rougned Odor (hamstring) on the disabled list. The consistent at-bats are fine, but there isn't much in Kiner-Falefa's minor-league career to get us excited. He makes contact and could sustain a batting average that doesn't hurt, but there's little power and he's been successful on just 66.2 percent (51-for-77) of his stolen base attempts.
Apr 14 2018Kiner-Falefa started at second base and went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts while batting ninth in Friday's 3-2 loss to Houston.This was the first game the Rangers played without both of their injured keystone combination -- Rougned Odor (hamstring) and Elvis Andrus (elbow). Jurickson Profar started at shortstop and Kiner-Falefa made his first MLB start. Drew Robinson may also get some starts at second base, but Kiner-Falefa will get regular at-bats the next two weeks, though he could be overmatched against major-league pitching. He's struck out three times in five at-bats since his callup earlier this week.
Apr 12 2018Kiner-Falefa is expected to be the short term replacement at second base, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.The Rangers were hit with another bad injury during Wednesday's loss to the Angels, losing shortstop Elvis Andrus to a fractured right elbow. The falling dominoes as a result of the injury will likely have Jurickson Profar, who had been filling in for the injured second baseman Rougned Odor (hamstring), move to short and the recently recalled Kiner-Falefa be the temporary fill-in at second until Odor is ready. Kiner-Falefa has 18 plate appearances above Double-A and is hitless in his lone MLB at-bat.
Apr 10 2018Kiner-Falefa was removed from Triple-A Round Rock's game Monday night shortly after the Rangers' Rougned Odor suffered a hamstring injury, Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News reports.Texas manager Jeff Banister is sounding as if Odor will miss some time, including a possible stay on the disabled list. In that event, it's likely they'd recall Kiner-Falefa, who is on the 40-man roster and has middle-infield experience. Jurickson Profar is expected to fill in for Odor, leaving Kiner-Falefa in a depth role if he gets promoted.
Apr 10 2018The Rangers recalled Kiner-Falefa from Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.Kiner-Falefa was removed from Round Rock's game Monday night after Rangers' second baseman Rougned Odor -- now on the disabled list -- sustained a hamstring injury, so the move isn't altogether surprising. Jurickson Profar will start at second base Tuesday and seems the likely candidate to step in for Odor, with Kiner-Falefa providing depth in the middle infield.
Nov 20 2017Kiner-Falefa was added to the Rangers' 40-man roster Monday to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.Kiner-Falefa is coming off another impressive season with Double-A Frisco, during which he hit .288/.350/.390 with five homers and 17 bases in 129 games for the RoughRiders. The 22-year-old hadn't hit a homer in his first four professional seasons before flashing improved power at the plate last season. He'll likely open the season at Triple-A Round Rock, but he could see a cup of coffee with the Rangers next season given his versatility -- he played double-digit games at third base, shortstop, second base and catcher last season.