Role
Isiah Kiner-Falefa signed a one-year, $6 million deal in February (per MLB.com) and started at second, short and third. A left forearm injury put him on the IL from June 19 to Sept. 1. His contract is up, so his 2027 role in Boston depends on whether they bring him back.
Outlook
He hit .242/.322/.311 with 2 homers and 8 steals in 66 games. The .311 slugging is about what he has always done; his career high is .376. The glove made up for it. Savant credited him with +8 outs above average in about 440 innings, mostly at second base, which is a big number for that playing time. His arm strength was in the 7th percentile, so the value comes from range and hands. He turns 32 in March.
Our take: the Red Sox already have Curtis Mead penciled in at second, plus Nick Sogard, Anthony Seigler and Andruw Monasterio on the 40-man. We think Kiner-Falefa leaves for a team that needs a defensive utility man more than Boston does.