Ian Kinsler

Ian Michael Kinsler (; born June 22, 1982) is an American-Israeli former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 14 seasons for the Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, and San Diego Padres. Kinsler was a four-time All Star, two-time Gold Glove winner, and a member of the 2018 World Series champion Boston Red Sox.

Despite having been drafted in the 17th round of the 2000 MLB draft out of college, Kinsler rose to become a four-time All-Star and a member of the ''Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. He was known as a five-tool player.

Kinsler twice hit 30 home runs and stole 30 bases in the same season (2009 and 2011), and is one of 16 ballplayers in major league history who have had multiple 30–30 seasons. In 2011, he also joined the 20–20 club for the third time, one season shy of the major league record for a second baseman. He hit for the cycle in a game in 2009, while getting hits in all six of his at bats. Kinsler is one of only four players in MLB history to record six hits in a game while hitting for the cycle; the others are Bobby Veach, Rondell White, and Christian Yelich, with Yelich being the only player to accomplish the feat since Kinsler.

Through 2013, Kinsler led the Texas Rangers in career stolen bases and power-speed number. In November 2013, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers for Prince Fielder. He has been awarded both a Fielding Bible Award (2015) and two Gold Glove Awards (2016 and 2018). Through 2019, on defense Kinsler had the best career range factor of any active second baseman in MLB, while on offense among all active players he was 3rd in power–speed number and in career runs scored, and 5th in career doubles. He retired following the end of the 2019 season with 1,999 career hits.

In international competition, Kinsler played for the United States national team at the 2017 World Baseball Classic, has played for the Israel national team at the 2020 Summer Olympics (held in 2021), and managed Israel at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Early life and high school Kinsler was born in Tucson, Arizona, and was born to a Jewish father and a Catholic mother. He has been a major influence on Kinsler. When Kinsler was four his father would toss him fly balls, and his dad says Kinsler would "get under them like he'd been doing it his whole life." When Kinsler was 13 years old, and the best player on a PONY league team coached by his father that was playing for a championship, his dad caught Kinsler rolling his eyes as he gave the team orders. "I benched him, without hesitation", said his father.

He graduated in 2000 from Canyon del Oro High School in the Tucson suburb of Oro Valley, Arizona. Four of his high school teammates also made it to the major leagues: Brian Anderson (his best friend in high school), Scott Hairston, Chris Duncan, and Shelley Duncan. In 2019 he was inducted into the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame.

Draft and college Kinsler was drafted by his home-state Arizona Diamondbacks after high school in the 29th round of the 2000 MLB draft, but did not feel ready for the pros. He opted instead to honour his commitment. He started his college career at Central Arizona College, where he hit .405 with 17 doubles, 37 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases, was named second-team All-ACCAC, and played shortstop alongside future major leaguers Scott Hairston and Rich Harden. The Diamondbacks drafted him again in 2001 (26th round), but he declined to sign because he felt that playing college baseball a little longer would help him develop his game.

Arizona State Sun Devils coach Pat Murphy secured his commitment out of junior college, getting him transfer to ASU in his sophomore year with the promise that he would play shortstop for the Sun Devils. But while he started briefly alongside fellow middle infielder Dustin Pedroia, he ended up spending much of the season on the bench.

University of Missouri Tigers coach Tim Jamieson spotted him in a summer league, and convinced him to head east for his junior year. Jamieson said, "I saw him take ground balls and thought, defensively, he was as good a middle infielder as I had ever seen. As for his bat, I didn't really care." While there, Kinsler had a .335 batting average.416 on-base percentage, and .536 slugging percentage, with 16 steals in 17 attempts. He was named to the All-Big 12 Conference second team. Jamieson noted, "From the day Ian stepped through the doors here, you could see it on his face: He was on a mission." Kinsler nonetheless agreed to sign with the Rangers on his 21st birthday, for $30,000.

Five years later, John Sickels wrote: "Only a handful of players from the 2003 draft are as good as Kinsler, and he's certainly outperformed many more heralded talents. Scouting and drafting will always be an inexact science/art." The pick was later lauded as "one of the greatest 17th round picks of all time." He then spent the 2003–04 winter in Arizona, working out with the Rangers' strength and conditioning coaches.

He had a breakout year in 2004. He split the season between two teams, beginning with the Low-A Clinton LumberKings, for which he hit .402/.465/.692 in 224 at bats. Baseball America rated him the most exciting ballplayer and the # 8 prospect in the league. When a friend asked him what the secret was to his success, he responded: "Dude, I have no idea." Frisco manager Tim Ireland observed: I think he's succeeding because his swing is graceful and effortless. It's just a smooth swing, and he hits for power because he lets his swing work for him. Defensively, so far he's shown a real feel for shortstop. He's got good feet and soft hands, and he throws well enough.... He seems pretty legit to me.

He ended up hitting .300/.400/.480 for Frisco, in 277 at bats. Rangers manager Buck Showalter marveled at Kinsler's 51 doubles, saying: "Fifty... A lot of guys don't have 50 singles."

Baseball America rated him the No. 4 Rangers prospect, the No. 11 prospect in the minors, and a second-team Minor League All Star. Kinsler was also named a Sports Weekly All Star, and the Rangers' Tom Grieve Minor League Player of the Year. In addition, he was awarded the first annual Diamond in the Rough Award, which recognizes a minor leaguer who "defies the odds" and rises from obscurity to play himself into prospect status during a breakout season. For his part, Kinsler noted simply: "It is fun to come to the ballpark every day when you are playing good baseball."

Towards the end of the season, Sickels augmented his scouting report on Kinsler by reporting that he was, "a good athlete, not super-toolsy, but strong for his size with speed a notch above average. His swing looked short, quick, and sharp...Overall, he is a solid all-around player who makes the most of his natural ability."

Kinsler spent the winter of 2004–05 playing for the Peoria Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League, improving his versatility by getting work in at second base. There, he hit .306/.369/.500. He was selected to the mid-season Pacific Coast League All Star team in June, and came in a close second to Mitch Jones in the 2005 Triple-A Home Run Derby.

For the season, in 530 at bats he hit .274 with 23 home runs, 102 runs (tied for tenth in the minor leagues), 94 RBIs, and 12 steals in 14 attempts. On the side, during the season he kept an on-line journal for MinorLeagueBaseball.com.

Major league career

Texas Rangers (2006–2013)

2006: Rookie With Alfonso Soriano having been traded in the off-season, Kinsler won the Rangers' starting second base job in spring training in 2006 over Mark DeRosa. "Ian Kinsler came as advertised", said Showalter.

He made his major league debut against the Boston Red Sox on Opening Day on April 3, 2006, and got his first major league hit in his first major league at bat, off Curt Schilling. Kinsler said: The crowd was full; I had the butterflies going, so to get that hit was huge. The family was in town.... To go out there and face one of the best pitchers of all time, you've got to be locked in. It's your first game, your first big league experience—it was unbelievable to face that guy.

He was hitting .476 when he dislocated his left thumb sliding head-first into second base on April 11, 2006, and was placed on the disabled list. "I knew it wasn't good when I looked down and I saw the top part of the thumb pointing in at me", Kinsler said. He came back 41 games later on May 25, and went 3–4 with a single and two home runs, to lead the Rangers to an 8–7 victory over the Oakland Athletics. "I hope the fans don't expect that much every night", he joked.

While Kinsler started off the season batting ninth in the lineup, in June Showalter moved him up to seventh. "I think as Ian's career progresses, he'll move up in the batting order", predicted Showalter. For the season, he started 31 games batting seventh, 30 batting eighth, 20 batting sixth, 19 batting ninth, 12 batting second, 3 batting leadoff, 2 batting third, and 1 batting fifth.

Kinsler finished 2006 with a .286 batting average, 14 home runs, 55 RBIs, and a team-leading 11 stolen bases in 423 at bats. He batted .300 with runners in scoring position, and .300 when the game was tied. He led all AL rookies with 27 doubles, and his .454 slugging percentage was the seventh-best in a season since 2000 by an AL rookie with at least 400 at bats. Defensively, in August he tied a team record by recording five double plays in one game. He also led all American League (AL) second basemen in both range factor (5.58) and errors (18). He was named Rangers 2006 Rookie of the Year.

2007: 20–20 season

During the 2006–07 off-season, Kinsler focused on building up his legs to improve his speed, durability, and agility.

His hitting form continued into the season, and Kinsler was named the AL Player of the Week for the period ending April 15. He batted .476 (10-for-21) that week with four home runs, eight RBIs, seven runs scored, and a 1.095 slugging percentage. His nine home runs in April tied the team record for that month (shared by Iván Rodríguez (2000), Alex Rodriguez (2002), and Carl Everett (2003)), and were the most ever in the season's first month by a Major League second baseman. Kinsler said: "I'm trying to put good swings on the ball, and if it goes out, it goes out." He batted .298 with 22 RBIs for the month, and was also voted the Rangers' Player of the Month for April. He tied a major league record on August 25, when he had eight plate appearances in a nine-inning game (a 30–3 win over Baltimore).

In 2007, Kinsler hit 20 home runs and was 23-for-25 in stolen base attempts (a 92% success rate). He became the sixth player in franchise history to reach the 20–20 plateau, joining Alfonso Soriano (2005), Iván Rodríguez (1999), Rafael Palmeiro (1993), Bobby Bonds (1978), and Toby Harrah (1975 and 1977). He did it despite his stress fracture, which kept him under 500 at bats. His 23 stolen bases and 96 runs led the Rangers.

Kinsler finished the season seventh in the AL in power/speed number (21.4), ninth in sacrifice hits (8) and steals of third base (4), and tied for tenth in bunt hits (5). He was also tied for fourth in the league in steals of third (4), eighth in line drive percentage (23%), and tied for ninth in sacrifice hits (8). He began to hit higher in the batting order, as he batted second in 48 games, leadoff in 26, seventh in 24, sixth in 19, ninth in 10, and eighth in 2. On defense, Kinsler led all major league second basemen in range factor (5.69).

2008: All-Star In February 2008, Kinsler signed a five-year deal worth $22 million guaranteed with a $10 million option for 2013. The contract was at the time largest the Rangers have ever made to a player whom they drafted and developed. "Ian represents the past, present, and future of this organization", said assistant general manager Thad Levine.

"It's a lot of money", Kinsler said. "I've never imagined being in this position in my life." "This is a big day for me and my family", he reflected. "I've been working my whole life to get to this point, since my dad first started taking me out in the backyard and started throwing the baseball with me."

Kinsler was delighted when Rangers manager Ron Washington ultimately committed to Kinsler being the team's leadoff hitter in 2008. "I didn't think he was the prototype leadoff hitter, but the guy proved me wrong", Washington said. "He'll take a walk, or get one run for us with one swing of the bat. He can bunt, he can run, and he can hit the ball to the other side."

Through mid-May 2008, Kinsler had the best career stolen-base percentage (88.5%) of anyone in Rangers/Senators history with at least 40 attempts. "It's part of my game", said Kinsler. "It's not one of the first things I'm known for." According to scouts, his ability on the basepaths is due to innate instincts and his "twitch speed" rather than his pure running speed.

Kinsler was a 2008 AL All Star at the 79th All Star Game at Yankee Stadium. It was his most exciting moment in baseball to that point. He was a reserve voted in by his peers. In the fan balloting, Dustin Pedroia, who finished with nearly 1.3 million votes, beat him by 34,243 votes. In the game, Kinsler hit 1-for-5 and stole a base. He was called out attempting to steal another base, though replays demonstrated that the umpire had missed the call. The Washington Post and ESPN baseball writer Jayson Stark picked Kinsler as the AL MVP for the first half of the season.

Kinsler had an MLB-best 25-game hitting streak in June and July. The team-best hitting streak of 28 belongs to Gabe Kapler. He missed the last 37 games of the season. "I really didn't have a decision", Kinsler said. "If I want to fix this injury, then I have to have surgery."

In 2008, despite missing the last six weeks of the season, Kinsler was third in the AL in times advanced from first to third on a single (17), fourth in batting average (.319) and power/speed number (21.3), fifth in steals of third base (8) and "bases taken" (23; advanced on fly balls, passed balls, wild pitches, balks, etc.), sixth in line drive percentage (24%) and in extra base hit percentage (10.8% of all plate appearances), eighth in runs (102) and OPS (.892), ninth in sacrifice hits (8) and home runs on the road (14), and tenth in stolen bases (26; while only being caught twice—a 93% success rate) and lowest strikeout percentage (11.5% of at bats).

He hit .413 with runners in scoring position. He was one of only three batters in the AL to have at least 18 home runs and 18 stolen bases in both 2007 and 2008, along with Alex Rodriguez and Grady Sizemore. His 41 doubles ranked second in franchise history to Alfonso Soriano's 43 in 2005. He had a .377 on-base percentage as a leadoff hitter, the third-best mark in the AL, and his .521 slugging percentage was the highest for a leadoff batter in the AL. Kinsler's .381 on-base percentage as a leadoff hitter over the 2005–08 seasons was the fourth-highest in the major leagues.

Kinsler was mentioned as an MVP candidate before his injury by writers at ESPN, the Dallas News, the Los Angeles Times, and the Washington Post. He could have conceivably rivaled Pedroia for MVP, if not for the sports hernia that cut his 2008 campaign short a month and a half. "I think he just missed having an MVP year", manager Ron Washington said. "If luck [had been] on our side and he [had stayed] healthy, he would have run away with it."

2009: Hitting for the cycle, and joining the 30–30 club

In 2009, Kinsler was named # 24 on the Sporting News''' list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. A panel of 100 baseball people, many of them members of the Baseball Hall of Fame and winners of major baseball awards, was polled to arrive at the list.

On April 15, 2009, in a game against the Baltimore Orioles, Kinsler hit for the cycle, becoming only the fourth Ranger to do so (and, at the time, the only right-handed Ranger). In the same game, Kinsler became only the second player in Ranger history to get 6 hits in a single game (the first having been Alfonso Soriano, on May 8, 2004), and the first to do so in a 9-inning game. His five runs and four extra base hits in the game matched two other team records.

"It was a thing of beauty", teammate Marlon Byrd said. "I loved it." Kinsler's 13 total bases were also one base shy of Jose Canseco's June 13, 1994, team record. Only three other players in the prior 55 years had had six hits, five runs, and four extra-base hits in a game, the most recent having been Shawn Green of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2002.

Kinsler was named AL co-Player of the Week on April 20, 2009. For the week, in 30 plate appearances he led the major leagues in batting average (.556), hits (15), extra base hits (7), and runs (9), and tied for the lead in doubles (4). He also had a .600 on-base percentage and 1.000 slugging percentage, with a triple, two home runs, and six stolen bases. "He's incredible", said teammate Hank Blalock.

On June 16 against Houston, Kinsler opened the first inning with his ninth career leadoff homer, surpassing the club record of eight, shared by Mike Hargrove, Oddibe McDowell, and Michael Young. On May 21, Kinsler stole third base in the fifth inning, setting a club record for career steals of third at 18. Furthermore, at the time Kinsler had never been caught trying to steal third. Rick Paulas of ESPN called Kinsler his "first quarter MVP."

Through July 1, Kinsler led the AL in power-speed number (17.5), was third in home runs (19), fourth in runs (55) and total bases (160), sixth in extra base hits (38) and at bats (307), seventh in sacrifice flies (4), and ninth in stolen bases (16) and sacrifices (8), while batting .359 against left-handers and .333 with runners on base. Then, he just missed making the team as a reserve in player voting, coming in second again, this time to Toronto's Aaron Hill. He missed in his third chance, as AL All Star team and Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon did not pick him as a reserve. He missed a fourth opportunity to make the team, in the Sprint Final Vote competition for the final spot on the team, coming in second to Brandon Inge of the Tigers. A sixth and final opportunity presented itself when Evan Longoria withdrew because of a finger infection; but again Maddon (a former Angels coach) chose someone else as a replacement, this time Figgins of the Angels, who had come in third in the Final Vote competition (behind Kinsler). Bleacher Reports' Andrew Nuschler observed: "Maddon spent his tenure as the AL All Star manager finding new and inventive ways to give Ian Kinsler the middle finger." And Sports Illustrateds Jacob Osterhout took note, writing: It is an absolute travesty that Ian Kinsler is not the starting second baseman for the American League. Dustin Pedroia, who IS the starting second baseman, has hit only three home runs and has 36 RBIs. Kinsler, on the other hand, has hit 20 home runs and has 63 RBIs. The fact that Kinsler isn't even a reserve makes it hard to take the All Star Game seriously.

At the All-Star Game, as a tribute to Kinsler, his teammate and close friend Michael Young wore wristbands with Kinsler's number 5.

On July 11, Kinsler stole third base for the 21st time in his career, building on his team record, without ever having been thrown out. On July 19, 2009, Kinsler became one of only six or seven batters to have hit both a leadoff and walk-off home run in the same game, the others being Billy Hamilton (1893, disputed), Vic Power (1957), Darin Erstad (2000), Reed Johnson (2003), Chris Young (2010), and Pete Crow-Armstrong (2026).

Kinsler suffered a strained left hamstring on July 28, and missed 11 games while on the disabled list.

Kinsler, who already had 30 stolen bases, hit his 30th home run on September 25, becoming the only major leaguer to join the 30–30 club in 2009, and the 34th major leaguer ever. He became only the second player in Rangers' history to have a 30–30 season (joining Alfonso Soriano, who did it in 2005), and joined Soriano (who also had 30–30 seasons in 2002 and 2003 for the Yankees) and Brandon Phillips (2007) as the only 30–30 second basemen in Major League history. "It's an incredible accomplishment", said Michael Young. "I've played with guys who have had some incredible seasons here, but 30–30 is something special. He deserves a lot of credit. He battled all season long. That's what separates the great players from the good ones."

He led the AL in power-speed#, with a 31.0. Through 2009, he had the second-highest steal success rate among active players with at least 100 attempts, at 87.5% (91-of-104). Carlos Beltrán was the best, at 88.3%.

He also showed a good eye at the plate. Of 15 Rangers who had at least 100 at bats, his rate of only one strikeout per 8.31 at bats was the best on the team. Similarly, he made contact on 87% of his swings, the best contact rate on the team. On defense, he led AL second baseman in "zone runs"s (17), was 2nd in assists (451) and range factor/game (4.86), and was 5th in putouts (249). But by early March, it was reported that he would bat fifth. In the end, Kinsler started 60 games batting 3rd, 20 games batting 5th, 16 games batting 6th, and 6 games leading off.

In spring training, while he was batting .400, Kinsler slipped on a patch of wet grass during pre-game warm-ups. He rolled his right ankle, and suffered a sprain of the ligaments above it (referred to as a "high ankle sprain"), as well as a small bone bruise at the tip of his tibia at the back of his ankle. He missed three weeks of spring training, and began the season on the disabled list. Washington said: "We miss his presence. We miss his threat. We miss what he brings on the defensive end. We miss his leadership." He made his initial 2010 appearance on April 30, after having missed the first 20 games of the season.

Batting .304 at the time with a .412 on-base percentage (4th in the AL), he was selected as a reserve to the All-Star team, his second All-Star Game. An appreciative Kinsler said: "It's a huge honor." He had finished third among AL second basemen in fan voting behind Robinson Canó and Pedroia, but Pedroia was injured, and Kinsler was picked to replace him. He had also finished second among AL second basemen in voting by AL players. On July 29 he went on the disabled list again, this time for a strained left groin, and was not reactivated until September 1.

Kinsler finished the season batting .286, with a career-high on-base percentage of .382. His .985 fielding percentage was 5th-best in the league, and he had the highest career range factor/game of all active major league second basemen (5.201). With his two stints on the disabled list, he played in only 103 games.

In the first round of the playoffs, against the Tampa Bay Rays, Kinsler batted .444/.500/.944 in five games, leading the majors with 3 home runs (tied) and 6 RBIs in the division series. He hit safely and scored a run in all five games, joining Boston's Nomar Garciaparra as the only two players to start their post-season careers with at least one hit—and with at least one hit and one run—in each of five consecutive games. As teammate Nelson Cruz also hit three home runs, it marked the second time in Major League history that two teammates each hit three homers in a postseason series of five games or fewer (the other two to do it were Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, in the 1928 World Series). For the first two rounds of the playoffs, Kinsler hit safely in 9 of 11 games, and batted .342 with 3 HRs, a playoff-high 9 RBIs, 6 runs, 2 stolen bases, an OBP of .409, and an OPS of 1.067.

2011: 30–30 club, redux

On April 2, 2011, Kinsler became the first player in major league history to hit a lead-off home run in the first two games of a season (giving him a total of 15 lead-off homers in his career). In his next game against the Red Sox, he hit another home run in the third inning. Kinsler and Nelson Cruz also became the first two teammates to homer in each of the first three games in a season. The two also joined Dean Palmer (1992) as the only Texas ballplayers to ever homer in the first three games of the season. He also hit his 20th career leadoff homer, becoming the 34th player in major league baseball history to have hit at least 20. Since his first season in 2006, his 20 lead-off homers were the 6th-most behind Alfonso Soriano (31), Hanley Ramírez (25), Jimmy Rollins (24), Curtis Granderson (24), and Rickie Weeks (24).

Kinsler joined the 30–30 club, for the second time. He became the 12th player in major league history to have multiple 30–30 seasons. He also joined the 20–20 (home runs–steals) club for the third time in his career. Joe Morgan, who did it four seasons, is the only second baseman to have joined the 20–20 club more times.

In 2011, Kinsler was second in the AL in runs scored (121; the fifth-highest season total in Rangers' history), 5th in home runs (32; a career high) and walks (89), and 9th in stolen bases (30) and extra base hits (70). On defense, his career range factor of 5.092 was the highest among active major league second basemen, and in 2011 he led AL second basemen in double plays, with 103.

His 136 career stolen bases through season-end were third-most in Rangers history, behind Bump Wills (161) and Toby Harrah (143), and his career stolen-base percentage was the third-best rate among active players with at least 120 attempts.

His 124 career home runs were the 5th-most in the first six years of any second baseman's career, behind Dan Uggla (183), Joe Gordon (142), Chase Utley (130), and Alfonso Soriano (126).

On October 4, in Game 4 of the AL Division Series against the Rays, Kinsler led off the game with a home run; the Rangers went on to win 4–3 over Tampa Bay and advance to the next round of the playoffs.

2012: All-Star In April 2012, the Rangers gave Kinsler a five-year, $75 million contract extension, with a $10 million option for a sixth year and a $5 million buyout if the team were to not pick up the option. A team option in 2018 could become guaranteed at $12 million, and included a $5 million buyout.

Kinsler was an All-Star again in 2012, for the third time. He finished the season tied for fifth among active players in leadoff home runs. FanGraphs ranked him as the 56th-best baserunner in baseball history at the end of 2013.

In 2022, he was inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame.

Detroit Tigers (2014–17) In November 2013, Kinsler was traded to the Detroit Tigers for Prince Fielder in a one-for-one trade of All-Stars, with the Tigers sending Texas $30 million to cover part of the difference in the players' salaries. Kinsler received former longtime Detroit player Alan Trammell's permission to wear uniform #3, which Trammell had worn for most of his career.

2014: All-Star

In 2014, Kinsler was named to his fourth All-Star team, as a replacement for an injured Víctor Martínez. For the season he led the AL in at bats (684; also an all-time Tigers record), was 4th in hits (188) and doubles (40), 5th in runs scored (100; scoring 100 runs for the fifth time in his career), and 7th in power–speed number (15.9).

On November 5, Kinsler was awarded the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award for second base.

2015: Fielding Bible Award

On September 10, 2015, Kinsler recorded his 1,500th career hit, a single off of Bryan Shaw of the Cleveland Indians. For the 2015 season, he hit .296, his best batting average since posting a career-high .319 mark in 2008, while collecting 11 home runs and 73 RBIs. For the season he led the major leagues in multi-hit games (61), and was fourth in the AL in hits (185), 6th in at bats (624, and 10th in runs scored (94) and at-bats-per-strikeout (7.8).

2016: Gold Glove In mid-May 2016, Kinsler became the first player in Tigers history to hit home runs from the leadoff spot in the batting order in four consecutive games. On September 30, Kinsler hit his eighth lead-off home run of the season, setting a new Tigers' franchise record as he surpassed that of Curtis Granderson.

For the season he was fourth in the AL in runs (117) and hit by pitch (13), 9th in power-speed number (18.7), and 10th in hits (178), as he batted .288 with 83 RBIs. Through 2016, Kinsler had the best career range factor of any active second baseman in MLB.

2017: Leader in Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Saved Kinsler missed some time in 2017, going on the disabled list in late May due to a left hamstring strain. In August, Kinsler was fined $10,000 by MLB for critical comments he made about umpire Ángel Hernández after Hernández ejected Kinsler from a game against Texas. He had said that Hernández was a bad umpire, and "needs to find another job." Kinsler hit 22 home runs in 139 games but posted a then career-low .236 batting average.

Kinsler was named a 2017 Gold Glove finalist at second base, along with Pedroia of the Red Sox and Brian Dozier of the Twins. Dozier won, despite Kinsler having a better Ultimate Zone Rating by a wide margin (6.1; leading AL second basemen), and being much better in Defensive Runs Saved, with 6 (leading AL second basemen) compared to Dozier's negative 4.

Los Angeles Angels (2018)

On December 13, 2017, the Tigers traded Kinsler to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for minor league center fielder Troy Montgomery and pitching Wilkel Hernandez.

On June 19, 2018, Kinsler hit the 48th leadoff home run of his career, which ranked fourth all-time behind Rickey Henderson, Alfonso Soriano, and Craig Biggio. In 91 games with the 2018 Angels, Kinsler batted .239 with 13 home runs, 49 runs, 32 RBIs, and 9 stolen bases.

In 37 regular season games with the Red Sox, Kinsler batted .242 with 1 home run, 16 RBIs, and 7 stolen bases in 132 at bats. Kinsler won a World Series ring in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Following the season, Kinsler was named the Gold Glove Award winner for second base. It was the second Gold Glove Award of his career.

San Diego Padres (2019): 1,999 career hits On December 20, 2018, Kinsler signed an two-year, $8 million contract with the San Diego Padres. The team had a $3.5 million option for his 2021 season, with a $500,000 buyout.

Kinsler's season ended early, as he suffered a herniated disc in his neck. On August 12, 2019, Kinsler pitched for the first time in his major league career in the ninth inning during a blowout against Tampa Bay, pitching a scoreless inning, and then proceeded to hit a home run in the bottom half of the inning. It would be his final game ever played in the major leagues. He ended the season and his career with 1,999 career hits.

Long Island Ducks On July 2, 2021, Kinsler signed with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in order to prepare for the Olympics. In five appearances for the Ducks, he went 6-for-16 (.375) with two RBI and one stolen base.

Front office career San Diego Padres On December 20, 2019, Kinsler announced the end of his playing career and his subsequent move into an adviser to baseball operations role in the Padres front office. He and the Padres settled the $4.25 million left on his contract for 2020. He ended his 14-year career one hit short of 2,000, with 257 home runs, 909 RBIs, and 243 stolen bases.

Kinsler served as the bench coach for the National League team in the 2024 All-Star Futures Game.

International career In 2017, Kinsler participated in the 2017 World Baseball Classic as a member of Team USA and won a gold medal in the competition. Kinsler played in seven games where he had eight hits, slashed .267/.353/.400 with a homerun in the gold-medal game against Puerto Rico.

In March 2020, Kinsler obtained Israeli citizenship and joined Team Israel.

Kinsler played second base for Israel at the 2020 Summer Olympics. He batted 4-for-18, hitting .222/.333/.444 with a double and a home run.

Kinsler managed Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic in Miami. Israel went 1–3, exiting after the group stage.

Personal life Kinsler identifies as Jewish. He joined, among others, teammate Scott Feldman, Brad Ausmus, Kevin Youkilis, Ryan Braun, Gabe Kapler, Jason Marquis, Jason Hirsh, John Grabow, Craig Breslow, and Scott Schoeneweis. He said that "Youkilis will always say something to me on the bases [referring to the fact that they are both Jewish]. 'Happy Passover,' he'll throw something at me." In 2013, he passed Shawn Green with his 163rd steal, to become the all-time career steals leader among Jewish major leaguers. Through the 2022 season, his 243 steals led the career all-time list of Jewish major leaguers (ahead of Braun), his 416 doubles placed him second behind Green, his 257 home runs and 909 RBIs both placed him fourth (behind Green in each case), his 693 walks placed him 4th behind Sid Gordon, and his 41 triples placed him 6th behind Gordon. His 31 steals in 2009 were the third-most ever in a season by a Jewish ballplayer, behind the 35 steals by Green in 1998 and the 33 steals by Braun in 2011.

Kinsler married his high school sweetheart on November 18, 2006. They have had two children.

In 2008 Kinsler won the Rangers' Jim Sundberg Community Achievement Award, in recognition of his having devoted a great deal of his personal time to the community.

Kinsler made aliyah in March 2020 and became an Israeli citizen.