Isiah Kiner-Falefa is finally on the verge of landing a new deal
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Victor William
Feb 3, 2026 (7:03 PM)
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Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Isiah Kiner-Falefa is officially the only game in town if your team needs a shortstop, and the market is about to get very interesting for the 30-year-old veteran.
With spring training just two weeks away, the free-agent infield class has been picked clean.
Bo Bichette is gone, Jorge Polanco is signed, and suddenly, "IKF" is looking like a prize catch for teams scrambling to fill holes.
It’s a strange position for a guy coming off a down year where he slashed .262/.297/.334 (75 wRC+) between Toronto and Pittsburgh.
But in February, availability is a skill.
Reports suggest the Pittsburgh Pirates are out on a reunion, which leaves the door wide open for contenders or desperate teams.
He won’t hit 20 homers, but his defensive versatility—playing short, third, and second—is a safety net that managers crave.
The fact that he is still sitting there while lesser players have signed minor league deals is baffling, but it likely means his agent knows his value is rising by the hour.
A "Gold Glove" band-aid for a contender's wound
As a baseball fan, seeing a Gold Glover (2020) lingering on the market this late feels like a calm before the storm.
Teams like the Red Sox or Angels, who missed out on bigger fish, might suddenly view him as a necessary stabilizer.
He isn't flashy, and his bat can be frustratingly light, but he catches the ball.
In a league where defense is suddenly back in vogue, Kiner-Falefa offers a high floor.
He can plug a hole at third base for a month or handle shortstop every day if a prospect isn't ready.
That kind of reliability usually costs $7-8 million a year, and he's worth every penny for the peace of mind he brings to a pitching staff.
Someone is going to panic-sign him before pitchers and catchers report, and honestly, they'll probably be glad they did by June.
The waiting game is almost over.
Also read on Toronto Baseball Insider :
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Jon Heyman drops a stunner about a Max Scherzer reunion with the Blue Jays
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 3|315 ANSWERS Isiah Kiner-Falefa is finally on the verge of landing a new deal Do you think Isiah Kiner-Falefa is worth a guaranteed MLB contract this late in the offseason? | ||
| Yes | 184 | 58.4 % |
| No | 131 | 41.6 % |
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