Blue Jays’ Kiner-Falefa faces disturbing threats after Game 7 World Series loss

Toronto Blue Jays utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa says he received disturbing threats in the wake of the team’s heartbreaking 5-4 Game 7 World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers — a defeat punctuated by his controversial out at home plate in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The Blue Jays were a run away from their first championship since 1993 when Kiner-Falefa, pinch-running for Bo Bichette, was thrown out at home on a ground ball by Daulton Varsho.

With the bases loaded and one out, Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas (who tied the game 4-4 in the top of the ninth inning with a solo home run off Jeff Hoffman) fielded the ball and fired home, where catcher Will Smith was able to keep his foot on the plate a half second before Kiner-Falefa slid in. The play ended Toronto’s best chance to walk off the Dodgers.

Two innings later, Smith delivered the decisive blow himself, launching an 11th-inning home run that sealed Los Angeles’ 5-4 victory and the franchise’s second title in five years.

In the aftermath, frustration among Blue Jays fans boiled over. Kiner-Falefa became the focal point of blame, with some critics accusing him of taking too short a lead off third base. According to Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith, the 30-year-old infielder was subjected to vitriolic online abuse, including threats to “break his legs.”

Kiner-Falefa explains decision not to take bigger lead at third base

Speaking after the game, Kiner-Falefa defended his baserunning approach, explaining that he was following team instructions designed to avoid a double play.

“They told us to stay close to the base. They don’t want us to get doubled off in that situation with a hard line drive,” he said. “Varsho hits the ball really, really hard. [Max] Muncy’s right there, I’m waiting for a back-pick from Will Smith in that situation. I can’t get doubled off right there, so it’s almost like bases loaded. They wanted a smaller lead and a smaller secondary, so that’s what I did.”

Kiner-Falefa added that while the outcome was painful, he executed the plan as instructed:

“It was obviously a tough play. They got it done. The lead is small. In that situation, you can’t get doubled off. I got the best secondary I could from that spot, and it didn’t work out.”

Former Blue Jays infielder Whit Merrifield jumped to Kiner-Falefa’s defence online, joining some other fans in concluding that Toronto’s utility man was not to blame.

“He did exactly right here. The #1 rule with bases loaded and less than two outs is you cannot get doubled up on a line drive to [the] 3rd baseman,” Merrifield wrote on X. “So your lead is as far as the 3rd baseman is from the bag. He did this [perfectly].”

The Blue Jays claimed Kiner-Falefa on waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Aug. 31, reuniting both sides after the 30-year-old initially signed with Toronto as a free agent in December 2023. He appeared in 15 postseason games, notably in place of the injured Bo Bichette, hitting a combined .162/.184/.216, with two doubles and two RBIs.

Kiner-Falefa is a free agent this winter.