Isiah Kiner-Falefa takes a seat for opener vs. Blue Jays
Yankees shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa looks on after he misses a play against the Red Sox during the second inning of an MLB game at Yankee Stadium on Saturday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s first three games as a Yankee produced average — and occasionally above-average — play in the field and a nonexistent impact at the plate.
The Yankees’ new shortstop found himself on the bench to start Monday night’s series opener against the Blue Jays, but Aaron Boone said Kiner-Falefa’s struggles at the plate (1-for-11 with a walk) had nothing to do with Marwin Gonzalez getting the start at short.
“Wanted to get Marwin in there in the mix,” Boone said of the veteran utilityman, who had a standout spring training at the plate. “Everyone’s going to need at least a day [off] here in these first 10 games. More than anything, [it was] about getting Marwin in there and trying to match up a little bit [with the switch-hitting Gonzalez against Toronto righthander Alek Manoah], but nothing more than that.”
Gonzalez, whose only appearance in the opening three games against the Red Sox was as a ghost runner in extra innings, had a .375/.400/.792 slash line, three home runs and 10 RBIs in nine exhibition games after the Yankees signed him to a minor-league deal March 21.
Monty OK
Indications are that Jordan Montgomery, who stayed in Sunday’s game after taking a wicked ground shot off his left leg off the bat of Boston’s Xander Bogaerts, will be able to take his next turn in the rotation.
“He’s doing all right,” Boone said. “Obviously woke up, he was pretty stiff. We’ll see as he starts moving around a little bit. Today’s typically a light day for him [a day after pitching]. Structurally, everything’s good [with the leg], just has some swelling that’s kind of moved around the knee. Work on trying to get that out of there and getting him moving and just try to relieve some of that stiffness and see where we’re at in a couple of days.”
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
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