The Dodgers are already being linked to a familiar type of player, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa fits that mold almost perfectly.
According to the latest report, Los Angeles has at least some interest in the former Red Sox utility man as free agency opens up. Fabian Ardaya wrote, “Two more names on different ends of the scale have registered at least some level of interest from the Dodgers, a league source said: Mauricio Dubón and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. The source spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to speak publicly,”
For Boston, Kiner-Falefa’s season was shaped by two things: injury and a limited role. He appeared in just 66 games, but he still gave the Red Sox the kind of steady, usable production they were looking for from him.
The 31-year-old has been around since his debut in 2018, and his value has always come from being able to plug in wherever needed. He is not the kind of player who turns heads with big offensive numbers, but contending teams keep coming back for him because he can help in multiple spots and usually does enough to stay on the radar.
That was the story again in Boston. Kiner-Falefa played solid defense, held his own at the plate, and looked a lot like the player he has been for most of his career.
The bat has never been the selling point. Kiner-Falefa owns an 81 OPS+ for his career, and that was the exact mark he posted last season with the Red Sox. Still, the defensive flexibility gives him a path to another job, and a team like the Dodgers would not be surprising landing spot.
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Red Sox Offseason Direction Just Got More Interesting After Jake Bauers
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Bauers arrives with some recent postseason experience after being part of Milwaukees World Series roster, and his signing adds another layer to a winter that still feels open-ended for Boston. The bigger question now is how far the Red Sox are willing to go beyond this first move, and which other opportunities they decide are worth pursuing as they try to reshape the offense. [Read more 🡒]