Story byApr 3, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) awaits the start of a game against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. (D. Ross Cameron/USA TODAY Sports)Colin KeaneMon, February 16, 2026 at 8:41 PM UTC·1 min readOn the same day that Isiah Kiner-Falefa took practice reps at first base, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora told the media that Kiner-Falefa, along with Nick Sogard and Connor Wong, will be “backup options” at first base for the Red Sox in 2026 behind Willson Contreras. Kiner-Falefa, a versatile infielder, has zero games played at first base in the majors through his career spanning multiple teams.