Isiah Kiner-Falefa is turning the page. After a rollercoaster postseason that ended in heartbreak for the Toronto Blue Jays, the veteran infielder is stepping into a new chapter with the Boston Red Sox. Officially introduced by the club on Tuesday, Kiner-Falefa addressed-for the first time-the baserunning mistake that became one of the most talked-about moments of the 2025 World Series.
Let’s rewind for a second. Game 7.
Bottom of the ninth. Score tied, 4-4.
Kiner-Falefa on third base, representing the potential walk-off run. The Blue Jays were one swing away from their first title since 1993.
Instead, a ground ball off Ernie Clement’s bat turned into a nightmare. Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas fielded it cleanly and fired home.
Kiner-Falefa was out at the plate. In a flash, Toronto’s dream unraveled, and the Dodgers went on to win it all.
That play became the defining image of the series-and Kiner-Falefa knew it.
“My biggest regret was that there were no cameras in my face after the game,” the 30-year-old said during his introductory press conference with Boston. “That was the toughest thing for me. If it was going to be such a big deal, it would’ve been nice to have the camera in my face and have a chance to speak.”
He wasn’t just frustrated with the play itself-he was frustrated with the silence that followed. Kiner-Falefa never got the chance to explain his side of the story that night, and in the vacuum, the criticism poured in.
“It blew up without me getting a proper interview,” he said. “Everybody is just going off of it without me really being able to talk about the play.”
Now, months later, Kiner-Falefa is owning the moment and offering some insight into what actually happened. According to him, the decision to break for home wasn’t just instinct-it was part of a broader team strategy.
“If I could do it over, I definitely would have gotten a couple of steps out,” he admitted. “But you have to do what the organization wants, and that’s kind of been the thing there. With runners in that situation, they would always keep the runner close.”
The plan, he explained, was to disrupt a potential inning-ending double play. His job was to make a break for it and try to force the Dodgers into a rushed decision.
It didn’t work out. But in his words, “It almost paid off.
Ernie almost got the job done on the next one (with a deep flyout).”
That’s baseball. Inches and instincts. Sometimes you’re the hero, sometimes you’re the headline.
Now, Kiner-Falefa is focused on what’s ahead. He signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Red Sox earlier this month and will wear No. 2 in Boston. To make room on the 40-man roster, the team placed right-hander Tanner Houck on the 60-day injured list.
For Kiner-Falefa, this is a fresh start-not just with a new team, but with a chance to redefine his narrative.
“At the end of the day, it’s just a great learning experience,” he said. “And I’m ready to flip the page.”
He’s been a steady, versatile presence throughout his career, with stints in Texas, New York, and Toronto. And while his name might be tied to one play in the minds of some fans, his mindset is clear: learn from it, grow from it, and keep moving forward.
Boston’s betting on that resilience.