New York Yankees fans react to teams' interest in trading for shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa: "They can gladly take him", "bye bye"
New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told Joel Sherman of the New York Post that teams are interested in acquiring shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
"I know that other teams that are contending knocked on our door about (Kiner-Falefa) this winter," Cashman said.
According to Cashman, teams have knocked on the door for IKF #NYY https://t.co/MDvEiOG9ar
Whether there is legitimate interest in a player that New York seems inclined to shoo out of town, or whether Cashman is simply trying to drum up interest in Kiner-Falefa on the trade market, Yankees fans seem entirely ready to bid "so long" to the five-year big league veteran.
And they can gladly take him twitter.com/firesideyankee…
@FiresideYankees Bye bye IKF if that’s the case
Please trade him!!!, u have volpe and peraza!! twitter.com/firesideyankee…
Kiner-Falefa was a solid, if unspectacular, player for the New York Yankees last season. He hit .264 with four home runs and 48 RBIs in 142 games with the Bronx Bombers in his first season with the team after a trade from the Minnesota Twins in March 2022.
However, with the Yankees' payroll hovering dangerously close to the highest level of MLB's luxury tax, the $6 million Kiner-Falefa is owed for 2023 would provide New York with some salary cushion as it seeks to possibly fill a gaping hole in left field before the regular season.
Add to that, the Yankees also possess a pair of highly-regarded young shortstops in Oswald Peraza and Anthony Volpe. Volpe was recently named the top shortstop prospect in all of MLB, while Peraza hit .306 in a brief 18-game New York debut last autumn.
You probably can't trade Donaldson because of his contract. You shouldn't trade Gleyber. That makes IKF the odd man out. Clears the logjam in the INF and opens the door for Peraza and Volpe to battle it out at SS. twitter.com/FiresideYankee…
Bold faced lie to try to increase his trade value. Everyone knows IKF was the worst SS in the AL in ‘22. twitter.com/firesideyankee…
So then why the hell is he not traded then twitter.com/firesideyankee…
Kiner-Falefa has a career WAR of 10.1, but was just a 3.0 WAR player in 2022. He won a Gold Glove as a shortstop/third baseman with the Rangers in 2020, and has a .264 lifetime batting average. Still, if teams are truly knocking on the door for his services, New York Yankees fans want Cashman to "push him out the door and close it."
Well open the door!!!!!! twitter.com/firesideyankee…
Open it, push him out the door and close it. Please and thank you twitter.com/firesideyankee…
Open that damn door immediately @Yankees twitter.com/FiresideYankee…
At least one Yankees fan isn't all that ready to let go of Kiner-Falefa and extolled the virtues of the 27-year-old.
Yep IKF is a solid player. Puts ball in play, low strike %, high avg w runners in scoring, steals bases, can bunt and a gold glove at 3rd base twitter.com/firesideyankee…
Who will be the New York Yankees' shortstop in 2023?
If the New York Yankees are able to unload Kiner-Falefa before the regular season, then Peraza is the likely choice to be the team's Opening Day shortstop.
The team has had a tremendously difficult time filling the shortstop void since the retirement of Hall of Famer Derek Jeter following the 2014 season.
Peraza did not look overwhelmed last autumn and was on the Yankees' postseason roster for the American League Championship Series. If he doesn't falter this spring, the job is likely his. If he struggles, the clock is ticking towards Volpe's arrival in Yankee Stadium.