A career year for Isiah Kiner-Falefa is on pause.

The Toronto Blue Jays infielder, a Mid-Pacific Institute alumnus from Honolulu, was placed on the 10-day disabled list by the club this week after hurting his left knee during warmups on Monday.

Kiner-Falefa’s splits of .292 batting, .338 on-base percentage and .420 slugging all represent career highs in his seven-year tenure in the majors. He has been a mainstay at third base for Toronto (39-49) as he leads the club with a 3.2 wins-above-replacement (WAR) rating.

He is providing some pop to go with his usual utility as a fielder. With six home runs in 82 games in 2024, he is one off his personal best for a season. 

The 29-year-old had been particularly hot before his injury, batting .389 with an OBP of .443 and three home runs over his last 15 games. He had a four-hit game against his former club, the New York Yankees, on June 29. He hit two homers in a game at Cleveland on June 22.

Kiner-Falefa told the Toronto Star’s Mike Wilner that he felt something pop in his left knee during warmups for Monday’s game at the Rogers Centre against the Houston Astros, and that he hopes to return in August.

According to SportsNet Canada, Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Kiner-Falefa is “week to week.”  He called it a tough loss for the team as the trade deadline approaches.

“I think production aside, he’s just such a baseball player,” SportsNet reported Schneider saying. “Obviously, you miss all the little aspects that he brings every day and the production … especially lately. He’s been consistent all year, but lately, he’s been great, so it’s a tough loss.”

Leo Jimenez was called up from Triple-A to take Kiner-Falefa’s spot on the roster.

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.