The Toronto Blue Jays have traded utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for another utility player in Charles McAdoo.
News of the trade was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan, while MLB.com‘s Mark Feinsand reported McAdoo would be part of the return.
Kiner-Falefa, 29, inked a two-year, $15 million deal with the Blue Jays ahead of this season, and had been a really solid pickup for the team. Known for his ability to play all over the field, Kiner-Falefa is in the midst of his most productive season at the plate, slashing .292/.338/.420 for a .758 OPS and a 115 OPS, career-high numbers across the board. His work at the plate and in the field has landed him a 1.9 fWAR. However, a knee injury suffered during warmups a month ago has kept him out of the lineup, stalling his productive season.
The signing of IKR drew the ire of many Jays fans last winter, given what felt like too much money for someone who had struggled for six years at the plate in the big leagues. Instead, he provided immense value for the Jays, quietly becoming a key contributor for the team.
McAdoo, 22, was drafted in the 13th round of the 2023 draft and debuted in Low-A last season. The right-handed hitter started this year in High-A and was moved up to Double-A in late June, debuting on the 22nd, hitting a home run and going 2-for-4 at the plate. Since then, he’s been on a tear, slashing .269/.348/.490 for a .838 OPS, hitting five home runs and seven extra-base hits in 27 games.
He’s played most of his time in Double-A this season at third base, but since turning pro, has played at second base, a bit at first, as well as time in both corner outfield spots.
According to Baseball America’s Editor-in-Chief JJ Cooper, McAdoo ranked 12th among the Pirates’ top 30 prospects, and was one of the team’s fastest risers this season. He was ranked 29th by MLB Pipeline.

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.

SPONSORED BY bet365