The Buccaneers are expected to offer most of the roster in the trade market this summer after stumbled at a 26-40 start to the season, leaving them more or less buried in the NL playoffs. According to a report from Bob Nightclub in the United States this morning, at least one player has attracted interest in the trade market: Infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa. It should be noted that NightEngale will not associate the infielder with any particular club, and there is no indication that a deal is close to being reached at this point.
This is not a shocking revelation. After all, Kiner-Falefa had a great season in Pittsburgh. In 53 games this year, he cuts the impressive .304/.351/.381 (106 WRC+) while being primarily a shortstop for the Pirates. He hasn’t scored well in this position this year, but he’s usually a powerful guard at second and third bases throughout his career, even earning the Golden Gloves Award at Hot Corner. Given Kiner-Falefa’s good reputation as a defender, if he can maintain this above average offense, he will be a very influential addition to the team that needs infield help.
That being said, there are obvious red flags in Kiner-Falefa’s profile, which suggests he may back down in the future. Kiner-Falefa’s .306 career Babip is solid, but that doesn’t even compare to his .360 figure this year. This almost guarantees a drop at some point, and in fact, his strength is less than last season, and the number of people in the board discipline is not significantly different. Kiner-Falefa’s .298 Xwoba is almost a perfect match for the .299 WOBA he proposed last season, suggesting that he will likely return below batsmen below, although he may at least stay close to the league average given last year’s 93 WRC+.
The good news for Pirates is that even if Kiner-Falefa returns to that, he will be a very attractive trade candidate in a market that looks desperate to be eager for infield help. The Yankees are already well-known for playing right-handed bats, playing infield, and Kiner-Falefa is suitable for bills and is a player the club likes to get in the past. If the Red Sox finally buys this summer, the infielder might make sense for them Alex Bregman. The sailors always seek help in the offense, and the brewers can use the upgrade Kaleb DurbinIf they wish to do it Jose Altuve The routine on the left.
These are just a few competitors who can theoretically use infielders like Kiner-Falefa. Maybe some of them will prioritize other needs this summer, or aren’t buyers at all, but some teams not mentioned here may be entering the competition due to injuries to their own infield mixture. In any case, it seems that there will be at least a demand for infield help this summer, and demand in terms of rent may outweigh supply. It is always possible for a team to make controllable works available like rays Isaac Paredes Last year, but such deals would bring higher acquisition costs, which could scare some buyers.
With few Surefire sellers, there are no large number of quality infield options expected. Amed Rosario national, Thairo Estrada Rocky Mountains and Josh Rojas There is one of the few potential trade candidates in the White Sox, but in that group, Rosario and Kiner-Falefa are currently hit, and no one has a defensive reputation. This could put the Pirates in a pretty solid bargaining state in the infield market, especially given that they have a second potential rental option for teams that need infield, in the form of a second baseman Adam Frazier.
