Isiah Kiner-Falefa may not be one of the first names you think of when you think about the Yankees, but he basked in the spotlight during the Bronx Bombers' matchup with the Mets on Wednesday night.
Dancing off third base with two outs in the top of the seventh inning, Kiner-Falefa examined the rhythm of Mets reliever Brooks Raley's delivery. With the count 2-1 and Billy McKinney at the plate, IKF made his move. The New York utilityman charged toward the plate, head down, resembling a world-class sprinter.
Raley's rushed delivery sailed past catcher Francisco Alvarez and to the backstop. Kiner-Falefa scored with ease, rising elegantly after he slid into home.
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Here's what you need to know.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa steals home
IKF swipes home! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/VST5WnSxaj
— MLB (@MLB) June 15, 2023
Kiner-Falefa hasn't had the easiest go of it over the course of his Yankees career, but his daring swipe certainly was a spark for a New York team that sits third in American League East.
In the process, he added his name to franchise and MLB history. Kiner-Falefa is one of a handful of players to steal home, joining the likes of Jackie Robinson, Ty Cobb and Shohei Ohtani.
Last time a player stole home in MLB
The last steal of home in an MLB game before Wednesday occurred a little more than three weeks earlier. The Twins' Willi Castro performed one of baseball's most difficult maneuvers on May 24, running on the front end of a delayed double steal to score vs. the Giants.
Last Yankees player to steal home
The last Yankees player to steal home was Didi Gregorius, who swiped it vs. the Orioles on Aug. 27, 2016, also as part of a double steal. He had seven stolen bases during that season.
