Kiner-Falefa played numerous positions in the Rangers organization,including shortstop,second base,third base,and catcher.[2][3][4] He played in 2017 with Frisco,batting .288 with five home runs and 48 RBIs in 129 games.[5] The Rangers added him to their 40-man roster after the 2017 season.[6] He opened the 2018 season with the Round Rock Express,appearing in five games before being recalled to the major leagues for the rest of the season.
Texas Rangers (2018–2021)
Kiner-Falefa made his major league debut against the Los Angeles Angels on April 10,2018.[7] On April 14,against the Houston Astros,he hit his first career home run.[8] In June,he caught Austin Bibens-Dirkx,the first time both players in a pitching battery had hyphenated last names.[9] Kiner-Falefa appeared in 111 games during his rookie season of 2018,hitting .261/.325/.357 with 4 home runs and 34 RBI,while playing games at catcher,third base,shortstop,and second base. He opened the 2019 season with Rangers in a catching tandem with veteran Jeff Mathis.[10] Kiner-Falefa was placed on the injured list on June 7 and recalled on August 2 in the role of utility infielder and third string catcher.[11] He finished 2019 hitting .238/.299/.322 with one home run and 21 RBI.
In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season,Kiner-Falefa hit .280/.329/.370 with 3 home runs and 10 RBI in 58 games. He was awarded the AL Gold Glove Award for third basemen.[12] Over 158 games in 2021,he hit .271/.312/.357 with 8 home runs,53 RBI,and 20 stolen bases.[13] He led the major leagues with 136 singles. Defensively,he moved to shortstop and led his position with 436 assists and 98 double plays.
New York Yankees (2022–2023)
Kiner-Falefa with the Yankees in 2022 spring training
During spring training in 2023,Kiner-Falefa competed with Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza to be the Yankees starting shortstop.[18] Volpe won the starting rile,[19] as the Yankees turned Kiner-Falefa into a utility player.[20] On April 13,Kiner-Falefa made his pitching debut in the ninth inning during an 11-2 loss against the Twins. His second pitch on the mound,38 MPH eephus pitch,was the slowest tracked pitch in Yankees history.[21] On June 14,during the Subway Series against the New York Mets,Kiner-Falefa stole home off pitcher Brooks Raley. He became the first Yankee player since Didi Gregorius on August 27,2016 to steal home.[22] On June 22,Kiner-Falefa was sent out for his third career pitching appearance in the top of the ninth inning of a 10–0 blowout loss against the Seattle Mariners. In the bottom of the ninth,he became the first Yankees position player to pitch three times in a season.[23] He pitched a scoreless inning,recording his first strikeout (Eugenio Suárez). He was called to bat as the pitcher in the lineup and hit a two-run home run against reliever Chris Flexen. Kiner-Falefa became the first Yankee to hit a home run as a pitcher since Lindy McDaniel on September 28,1972,the last season before the American League's adoption of the designated hitter rule.[24] Kiner-Falefa batted .242/.306/.340 for the season.[25] He became a free agent following the season.
Toronto Blue Jays (2024)
On December 29,2023,Kiner-Falefa signed a two-year,$15 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.[26][27] In 82 games for Toronto in 2024,he batted .292/.338/.420 with seven home runs and 33 RBI.
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