Isiah Kiner-Falefa Declined to Play Final Game and Hit $250,000 Bonus
The Pittsburgh Pirates have had their 2024 MLB season officially come to a close and things seemed normal. However, one situation that popped up was veteran Isaih Kiner-Falefa not being in the starting lineup for the final game of the year. Isiah Kiner-Falefa was only four at-bats away from hitting an incentive in his contract for an additional $250,000 but did not get added into the lineup. Let’s take a look at exactly what happened that caused Isiah Kiner-Falefa to not get that quarter of a million dollars.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa Discussed the Situation
With one game remaining in the season, Isiah Kiner-Falefa was just four plate appearances away from reaching an incentive in his contract from getting a $250,000 performance bonus. However, he would not appear in the game against the New York Yankees and fall short of the Pittsburgh Pirates being on the hook for that incentive. Isiah Kiner-Falefa discussed the situation after the game and explained how he had the opportunity to be in the starting lineup an hour before first pitch but declined.
“Last night, got the lineup and I wasn’t in there. I had no problem with it, I didn’t fight it. It is what it is. Today, when I got to the field and they found out, they came up to me maybe an hour before the game and they gave me the option. At that point, I kinda already checked out. At this point, I didn’t think it was fai to take a spot from (Liover Peguero), or one of the young guys, an opportunity to play at Yankee Stadium away from them. I got hurt this year. I missed a month. If that doesn’t happen, or if we’re actually in a real race, I crush those incentives by a long shot. So, at the end of the day, I feel like I didn’t deserve it from that aspect. It’s nothing the team did. They tried to make it right at the end. That meant a lot to me right there. I’m thankful for Shelty and the organization to give me that opportunity. I just felt like, with an hour before, it wasn’t the right move. For myself, dealing with a knee, coming back and still dealing with it a little bit, on a wet day, I didn’t feel like it was worth possibly reaggravating it with the way the weather is and the late start. I felt good having Peggy have that opportunity or whoever was in that situation. At the end of the day, I’m very thankful that they gave me that option. That meant a lot to me.”
Isiah Kiner-Falefa was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates at the 2024 MLB Trade Deadline from the Toronto Blue Jays and finished the year with a .682 OPS with eight home runs, 43 RBI, 53 runs scored, and 11 steals. This situation was in the public eye a bit more once it was realized after the Pittsburgh Pirates designated for assignment first baseman Rowdy Tellez four at-bats away from him reaching a $200,000 bonus for 425 plate appearances in the 2024 season. At least this situation had a bit of a better ending as Isiah Kiner-Falefa gave the okay for the Pittsburgh Pirates not to play him.
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