Isiah Kiner-Falefa passes first field test at Yankees center

LAKELAND, Fla. — The Yankees tinkered with their shortstop competition on Friday, putting Anthony Volpe at the post and using Oswald Peraza at second base, a flip-flop from previous games when the two top prospects were playing together.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa took a step back from the discord – in fact, a few dozen steps back.

The Yankees’ 2022 starting shortstop began his new super-utility role on Friday, when he grabbed a recently acquired outfield glove that still isn’t fully broken in and played center field for six mostly promising innings.

Kiner-Falefa got flustered early, grabbing the first two outs of the game and looked pretty natural at center – a position he hadn’t played since a Double-A game in 2017.

On a few occasions, however, his inexperience showed up.

“I feel like I got tested in every way today for the most part,” Kiner-Falefa said after an 8-7 loss to the Tigers at Publix Field.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa (right), pictured earlier during spring training with Anthony Volpe, began his outfield experience Friday for the Yankees.Charles Wenzelberg

Kiner-Falefa proved immediately that he could catch the easy outs, taking out Austin Meadows and Jonathan Schoop on routine flyballs to open the game.

Three batters later, when Andre Lipcius scored a single to right center with runners at first and second, Kiner-Falefa charged in and to his left, scooped the ball up and fired a hard pitch home.

The pitch was too late, and it was probably on the wrong base: Nick Maton, who started at first base, moved to third because the pitch went home.

Kiner-Falefa said he was happy with his arm and thinks his decision-making will improve.

“I probably should have pitched third,” said Kiner-Falefa, who also played second, third and shortstop this spring. “But I was happy to have just the opportunity to throw the ball.”

His next mistake was also mental.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa produced mixed results in his first action on the court since Double-A.Charles Wenzelberg

In the third inning, Detroit’s Colt Keith threw a bloop to the shallow left center. Volpe, at shortstop, backed up uncertainly and Aaron Hicks charged from left field.

Hicks finally asked for it but couldn’t finish what would have been a remarkable and tumultuous take.

Keith finished with a triple.

“It was probably my ball. I lined up on the wrong side,” said Kiner-Falefa, who said he misread the positioning cards: He should have been shaded center left and was center right instead.” It’s the only time I missed my alignment. That can’t happen in the real game.”

The box score shows no error, and Kiner-Falefa thinks more time in the middle can eliminate mental errors.

He said he felt comfortable there and it’s possible the Yankees will throw him to center in a regular season opener.

Harrison Bader’s oblique injury will keep him at least a few weeks away from starting the season, and the Yankees don’t want to risk Aaron Judge’s legs by using him every day at center.

Manager Aaron Boone praised Kiner-Falefa’s athleticism and footwork and called Friday a “great start”.

Anthony Volpe, pictured earlier in spring training, played shortstop for the Yankees on Friday against the Tigers. Charles Wenzelberg

“I think moving him around is something that not only will serve us well, but I think he’s made for it,” Boone said of Kiner-Falefa, who is 6 for 25 (.240) with a home run and four steals in the Grapefruit League.

Kiner-Falefa isn’t done playing shortstop and is expected to rebound there on Saturday as the Yankees test if he can turn between points without a problem.

But Kiner-Falefa appears to be their third shortstop option right now, with Peraza and Volpe vying for the opening day job.

Oswald Peraza, pictured earlier during spring training, played second base for the Yankees on Friday as their shortstop competition continued.Charles Wenzelberg

Kiner-Falefa will fight with Oswaldo Cabrera for a utility role, although Boone said he could imagine the two flexible fielders working their way up the roster.

“You see guys like [the Dodgers’] Chris Taylor, Cabrera, [the Red Sox’s] Kike [Hernandez]said Kiner-Falefa, who won a Golden Glove at third base and also played catcher while with the Rangers. “Good teams had several guys like that. He wasn’t just a guy.

The 27-year-old, who had a tough first season in the Bronx and got used to boos, has embraced his new reality.

If the Yankees don’t want him at shortstop, Kiner-Falefa wants to help out elsewhere.

“That’s been the thing with Izzy ever since he got here,” Boone said. “He just wants to win, and he wants to win pinstripe.”

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