Toronto Blue Jays Trade Versatile Infielder to Pittsburgh Pirates For Prospect
![Toronto Blue Jays third base Isiah Kiner-Falefa (7) fields balls during batting practice before a game against the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre. Toronto Blue Jays third base Isiah Kiner-Falefa (7) fields balls during batting practice before a game against the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4873,h_2741,x_0,y_251/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/fastball/01j42tkg1fxvjd6hjcyk.jpg)
The Toronto Blue Jays have traded infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa ahead of the Tuesday afternoon trade deadline, sending him to the Pittsburgh Pirates for infield prospect Charles McAdoo.
OFFICIAL: We’ve acquired 3B Charles McAdoo from the Pirates in exchange for UTIL IsiahKiner-Falefa and cash considerations.
Welcome to our #BlueJays family!
OFFICIAL: We’ve acquired 3B Charles McAdoo from the Pirates in exchange for UTIL Isiah Kiner-Falefa and cash considerations.
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 30, 2024
Welcome to our #BlueJays family! pic.twitter.com/dhv3XvkKMl
Kiner-Falefa becomes the latest member of the last-place Blue Jays to be traded this week. They had previously dealt Justin Turner (Mariners), Yusei Kikuchi (Astros), Yimi Garcia (Mariners) and Nate Pearson (Cubs). They did not elect to trade bigger names on longer-term deals like Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios or Chris Bassitt. They seem content to shed some salary and try to compete again in 2025.
The 29-year-old Kiner-Falefa is in the seventh year of his big league career with the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees and Blue Jays. He won a Gold Glove previously with Texas and is a lifetime .264 hitter. A versatile player who can play shortstop, second base or third base, he can also play in the outfield. He's under control through 2025 and will try to help a Pirates team make the playoffs that enters play on Tuesday at 2.0 games back in the National League wild card race.
He's hitting .292 this year with seven home runs.
McAdoo had been ranked as the No. 29 prospect in the Pirates organization, per MLB.com. Here's a portion of his prospect profile:
A big and strong right-handed hitter, McAdoo has surprised the Pirates with his overall feel for hitting and ability to impact the baseball. He’s shown he can handle velocity and routinely turns in quality at-bats with a patient approach and limited chase. That’s allowed him to consistently find the barrel and drive the ball with above-average exit velocities, and he could grow into average power eventually.
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