New York Yankees fans in shock as Isiah Kiner Falefa placed in outfield
Like any manager, New York Yankees boss Aaron Boone has the unenviable task of justifying his roster decisions to the fanbase. Unfortunately for Boone, Yankees fans do not make up your normal MLB fanbase.
Recently, New York Yankees fans have taken aim at shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa after Boone told the press that he is considering testing the 27-year-old Hawaiian in the outfield.
Kiner-Falefa batted .261/.314/.347 last season with 4 home runs and 48 RBIs. He also appeared at shortstop in the vast majority of his 142 fielding appearances last season.
Chris Kirchner of Fox Sports recently revealed that Isiah Kiner-Falefa, known colloquially as "IKF," is being considered by Aaron Boone to take over the outfield. To this day, IKF has never played an MLB game in an outfield position.
Aaron Boone says that Isiah Kiner-Falefa could play outfield this season, per @ChrisKirschner https://t.co/qFC3VlLi9i
"Aaron Boone says that Isiah Kiner-Falefa could play outfield this season, per @ Chris Kirchner
Needless to say, numbers like the one IKF put up in 2022 don't meet the expectations that Yankees fans have for their starters. IKF came to the New York Yankees last season in a trade with the Minnesota Twins along with third baseman Josh Donaldson. Many Yankees fans believe the team is overhyping these two players to justify the trade, which has not worked out well to date.
@TalkinYanks @ChrisKirschner I will never understand Booneโs fascination with starting IKF
@TalkinYanks @ChrisKirschner How far in the outfield? Like in the bleachers?
@TalkinYanks @ChrisKirschner Like how far in the outfield?
Entrance security?
Kiner-Falefa's position in the middle infield is being challenged by two young rookies, Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza. Volpe was the New York Yankees' first overall draft pick in 2019 and Peraza impressed onlookers during a 12-game call-up stint last season.
@TalkinYanks @ChrisKirschner Hopefully that means Volpe is here
@TalkinYanks @ChrisKirschner oh so weโre just having tryouts now??
@TalkinYanks @ChrisKirschner Isaiah kiner falefa does not have to play at all actually
The potential to have Kiner-Falefa in the outfield is also unpopular. The New York Yankees are set to spend over $70 million on Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in the outfield. The final outfield spot is being fought over by Aaron Hicks and Harrison Bader.
Although Aaron Hicks has lost the support of a lot of fans, Harrison Bader has it in spades. The Bronxville, New York native came to the Yankees in a late-season trade with the St. Louis Cardinals. Bader's off-field style and strong postseason numbers last year rendered him more favorable among fans compared to IKF.
@TalkinYanks @ChrisKirschner He should play for another team
@TalkinYanks @ChrisKirschner It's like we want our opponents to score
The New York Yankees have a blank canvass in the middle of the field
Aaron Boone, a former Cincinnati Reds star, knows the intricacies of the game. As such, he knows that experimentation is key to forming a winning lineup.
Although the Yankees are not as sure of themselves positionally in the infield as some other teams are, they have the necessary knowledge and roster depth to play around with combinations. This ensures that whatever strategy they choose can be translated into wins for this heavy-hitting team.