Yankees Rumors: Isiah Kiner-Falefa Agrees to 1-Year, $6M Contract in Free Agency

Isiah Kiner-Falefa is reportedly staying in the Bronx.

The shortstop has agreed to a one-year, $6 million deal with the New York Yankees to avoid arbitration, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Friday.

Kiner-Falefa spent the 2022 season with the Yankees after playing the first four years of his career with the Texas Rangers. He didn't contribute much offensively and struggled defensively in his first season with the Pinstripes.

The 27-year-old slashed .261/.314/.327 with four home runs and 48 RBI in 142 games, though he did post a career-high 22 stolen bases. That said, no one expected him to be an offensive force, and those numbers are in line with his career averages.

On the fielding side, though, Kiner-Falefa committed 16 errors in 2022, tied for 10th in Major League Baseball. He also had a disappointing postseason and was part of a miscue that helped the Houston Astros take the lead in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series and sweep the Yankees.

With so many talented shortstops available in free agency—Xander Bogaerts, Carlos Correa, Trea Turner and Dansby Swanson—some believed the Yankees would inquire about those players.

However, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters earlier this month that he believed his internal options could get the job done at shortstop in 2023:

"There's obviously a lot of great talented players that are available in the marketplace via trade and free agency. ... I think we have people that can handle the position and I think that we have people pushing up that want an opportunity that they're ready for the next step. ... I think that we have coverage already and now it’s just exploring, like every position, can we be better, is there better options?”

Beyond Kiner-Falefa, the Yankees can turn to Oswald Peraza, Oswaldo Cabrera and Gleyber Torres at shortstop in 2023.

It's not surprising that Cashman may not be willing to shell out the money needed to sign a premier free-agent shortstop. He has to re-sign AL MVP Aaron Judge, who is expected to become one of the highest-paid players in baseball this winter, and upgrade other areas to make the Yankees World Series contenders.