Star free agent shortstops continue to come off the board, with Javier Baez reportedly signing with the Tigers on Tuesday morning, while Corey Seager was grabbed by the Rangers on a $325 million deal on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Yankees still hold a question mark at the shortstop position, and could reportedly be seeking a lower-tier upgrade via trade.
According to SNY’s Andy Martino, the Yanks have been in contact with the Rangers regarding the availability of Isiah Kiner-Falefa, a 26-year-old, glove-first shortstop who suddenly is on the outside looking in at Texas after the Rangers splurged to acquire both Seager and Marcus Semien.
Martino also noted that while free agents have been flying off the shelves ahead of Thursday’s expected lockout, there hasn’t been much traction league-wide on the trading front, as MLB prepares for a shutdown.
Kiner-Falefa, a former fourth-round pick who won't be a free agent until 2024, won a Gold Glove in 2020 and was among the best in baseball in defensive runs saved last season, per FanGraphs. His defense alone would be a massive upgrade considering Gleyber Torres’ defensive struggles at shortstop before being moved back to second base near the end of the regular season. But Kiner-Falefa’s bat leaves a lot to be desired, particularly for a Yankee team that massively underperformed at the plate in 2021.
In 158 games last season, totaling 677 plate appearances, Kiner-Falefa hit just eight home runs while batting .271 with a .670 OPS. His four-year career to date has produced a slash line of .265/.316/.354 with 16 home runs in 392 games.
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