Two contenders emerge as rumored trade suitors for Pirates’ Isiah Kiner-Falefa

The MLB Trade Deadline is getting closer and closer, while the Pirates fall further and further beneath .500. This fire sale will be hectic for Pittsburgh, with plenty of players included on the trade block.Isiah Kiner-Falefa in particular appears to have the hottest current market, as the Yankees and Giants are reportedly keeping tabs on him, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

"The New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants are keeping a close eye on versatile Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who should be available at the trade deadline," the insider wrote in his latest column.

Kiner-Falefa is on an expiring contract, so dealing him before he hits free agency is really in the Pirates' best interest. The super-utility man was already being paid $7.5 million this season, and with his solid start at the plate pairing nicely with that elite glove, he may get a raise this offseason. With the money constraints this team has, Pittsburgh really cannot afford him if his salary goes up any higher, so dealing him is truly the best idea.

Kiner-Falefa has been a very valuable pickup for the Pirates since they acquired him at the ill-fated 2024 trade deadline. Charles McAdoo has really fallen off since the Pirates dealt him to Toronto, too, so this trade looks like a rare Ben Cherington win. Now if Cherington can get a younger, controllable prospect that is close to the big leagues, that will be another success, and these two rumored organizations connected to Kiner-Falefa could very well provide that.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa is drawing interest from the Yankees and Giants, setting up a great situation for the Pirates.

Nightengale also indicated in this article that there are only six teams fairly out of the playoff mix, so this is a big-time sellers' market. That is perfect for Pittsburgh to take advantage of with their rentals, and Kiner-Falefa already being connected to other teams is a great sign.

The Giants are really looking to go for it all following the Rafael Devers trade. Their aggresiveness could lead to an interesting package for the Pirates, which could include names like outfielder Grant McCray. At one point, he was one of the top prospects in the organization per MLB Pipeline, but he lost his prospect status after struggling in the majors in 2024. Now he is in Triple-A producing a 100 wRC+ with .769 OPS. At 24 years old, maybe the former top prospect can get a legitimate opportunity with Pittsburgh; the Giants don't really have a place for him in the outfield either.

The Yankees are also an interesting team for the Pirates to work with here. New York has burnt the Pirates in multiple trades during Cherington's tenure, but hopefully he can save himself with Kiner-Falefa. Roc Riggio is the Yankees' 24th-ranked prospect (according to MLB Pipeline), and comes in at second base. Yeah, the Pirates have Nick Gonzales, Nick Yorke, and Termarr Johnson in the long-term plans at second base, but getting Riggio's bat in the mix could shake things up or open the door for more trades down the road. He currently has a 180 wRC+ with a .980 OPS in Double-A.

A trade involving Kiner-Falefa feels like it will definitely happen this deadline, and hopefully could land the Pirates a bat that would help in 2026. That is what these two potential pieces could do for Pittsburgh. With a big sellers' market, Kiner-Falefa's value could also increase, depending on variations in his performance in the upcoming month.