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TAMPA, Fla. — Red Sox newcomer Isiah Kiner-Falefa perhaps was just being honest this week when he stated his 2025 pennant-winning Blue Jays were happy about facing the Yankees instead of Boston in a best-of-five Division Series last October.
Or maybe IKF was trying to play up to Red Sox fans by taking a shot at the rival Yanks, who were his club from 2022-23.
Whatever the motive, Yankees manager Aaron Boone responded on spring training reporting day for Yankees pitchers and catchers,
“I guess he was right,” Boone said Wednesday. “It’s a little surprising to hear IKF say that, but whatever. That’s fine.”
Asked if he was bothered by the comments, Boone said, “Not really, honestly. You’ve got to play who you play. Whatever.”
The Yankees beat the Red Sox in a best-of-three Wild Card Series that went the distance, then were ousted by the Blue Jays in four.
According to IFK, the Blue Jays preferred the Yankees because they thought facing Red Sox ace left-hander Garrett Crochet twice in a short series would be a difficult matchup.
The Jays were 8-5 against both the Yankees and Red Sox in the regular season, but Crochet pitched to a 1.23 ERA in three starts against Toronto, allowing three runs in 20 2/3 innings.
“We definitely felt (Boston) was a tougher matchup for us,” Kiner-Falefa said Tuesday during Red Sox spring training in Fort Myers, Fla. “Once we saw the other team, we were a lot happier. It was definitely a topic.”
Facing the Yankees, the Blue Jays knocked out 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil after two innings in a 10-1 series-opening opening victory. In Game 2, Toronto pounded Yankees All-Star left-hander Max Fried, who was shelled for seven runs in three-plus innings in a 13-7 Jays romp.
Kiner-Falefa appeared in all four games, one as a starter at second base, and was 0-for-6 with an error. The one-time Gold Glove winner is expected to be a utility infielder this season after signing a one-year, $6-million contract with the Red Sox on Feb. 4.
Playing for the Yankees, IKF was a starting shortstop in ’23 and a super-utility infielder/outfielder in ’24, batting .253 with 10 homers, 85 RBI, 36 stolen bases and a .643 OPS in 255 games.
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