Aug 24, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa (7) reacts at secbase after hitting an RBI double against the Colorado Rockies during the fourth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Yankees Deadline Target Released By Pirates

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Delilah Bourque | Last updated Aug 29, 2025 1:46 PM ET

A former New York Yankees target may be on the table once again. According to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette insider Noah Hiles, the Pittsburgh Pirates waived infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Kiner-Falefa has played at third base this season, but primarily serves as short stop.

Sources: The Pirates have placed Isiah Kiner-Falefa on outright waivers.
— Noah Hiles (@_NoahHiles) August 29, 2025

Hiles went on to add that Kiner-Falefa will be available for the Pirates' throughout the waiver process. Pittsburgh has an upcoming series against the Boston Red Sox from Fenway Park. Teams have until the end of the weekend to claim the eight-year veteran.

Kiner-Falefa is having a solid season with the Pirates, slashing .268/ .304/ .337 and hitting 35 RBIs, with one home run in 117 games. While these aren't the best numbers of his career, he's been a very consistent bat since his debut in 2018 and was a regular feature of Pittsburgh's lineups.

Kiner-Falefa debuted with the Texas Rangers and previously spent two seasons with the Yankees in 2022 and 2023, before joining the Toronto Blue Jays being traded to the Pirates in 2024. He was a rumored trade target for New York before the 2025 MLB trade deadline, when the team was in serious need of help at third base.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Now, the Yankees have solved their third base problem with former Colorado Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon. While McMahon's glove has helped the Yankees infield mightily, he doesn't have the strongest bat, slashing .211/ .314/ .333 since being traded. While Kiner-Falefa would likely not play at third base a majority of the time, he could serve as a backup option if needed.

Then, there's the elephant in the room. New York is struggling even worse than they ever did at third base at short stop, with Anthony Volpe slashing just .207/ .271/ .397 and committing the second most errors in the league. Fans and analysts alike have been calling for Volpe to be demoted (or even DFA'd) due to his poor performance. Adding Kiner-Falefa at short stop would be a huge boost to the Yankees, though manager Aaron Boone has repeatedly defended Volpe's place in the lineup.

Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more!