Toronto’s Isiah Kiner-Falefa Is Fall Classic’s ‘Cinderella Man’
When spring training 2025 began for Kiner-Falefa with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he couldn’t have predicted being with the pennant-winning Toronto Blue Jays.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates after hitting a single during the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners in game seven of the American League Championship Series at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, on Oct. 20, 2025. Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images
The team that Kiner-Falefa went to spring training with in February, the Pittsburgh Pirates, played their last game of the 2025 season more than three weeks ago. As the final month of the regular MLB schedule took shape, with little or no warning, Kiner-Falefa was asked to pack up his locker.
Donald Laible
Author
Don has covered pro baseball for several decades, beginning in the minor leagues as a radio broadcaster in the NY Mets organization. His Ice Chips & Diamond Dust blog ran from 2012-2020 at uticaod.com. His baseball passion surrounds anything concerning the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and writing features on the players and staff of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Don currently resides in southwest Florida.
