Isiah Kiner-Falefa has taken on clubhouse role Red Sox fans never saw coming

When the Boston Red Sox first started struggling about two months ago, if you asked fans which player would be front and center in their offensive breakout, Isiah Kiner-Falefa would almost certainly be one of the least common answers. But the journeyman has been raking. From the middle of May to the start of June, Kiner-Falefa has been the Red Sox’s biggest offensive weapon. He’s slashing .282/.344/.353 on the season (36 games) and .364/.429/.500 in his last 15 games. Kiner-Falefa, who carried a first percentile xSLG (.304) last season, already has a homer this year, one of Boston’s 46 so far (as of June 5). On June 2, along with his offensive explosion, Kiner-Falefa hinted in a postgame presser that the Red Sox’s hideous 9-20 record at Fenway Park could be due to distractions at home that aren’t present on the road. His comment didn’t include any information on what the issues might be, but fans have taken off running with speculation. Whether Kiner-Falefa’s statement leads to a change in Boston’s home performance or not, taking the issue public (vaguely and responsibly) is a clear veteran move. The utility man has been on five teams over his nine years in
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