Donaldson Traded To Yankees; Twins Still In The Market For SS, SP

Photo: Minnesota Twins

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (KDLM) – After the 99-day lockout in which teams couldn’t make any roster moves, the Twins came out firing this weekend, completing three different trades and shaking up their infield.

The first move came on Saturday morning with the team sending catcher Mitch Garver to the Texas Rangers in exchange for shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa. On Sunday morning, the Twins acquired RHP Sonny Gray from Cincinnati for last year’s first-round pick RHP Chase Petty.

Then on Sunday night, the Twins pulled off their biggest trade in years: their big free agent signing from 2020 and former AL MVP Josh Donaldson was traded to the New York Yankees as a part of a five-player deal that brought catcher Gary Sanchez and IF Gio Urshela to Minnesota. The newly acquired Kiner-Falefa was also sent to the Yankees.

Sánchez, 29, hit .204 with 23 homers and 54 RBI in 440 plate appearances last season. While Sanchez has shown glimpses of superstar ability, he’s been unable to perform consistently. He’s expected to share time at catcher with Ryan Jeffers and also fill the DH spot on the lineup card.

Urshela, 30, hit .267  with 14 homers and 49 RBI last season. He’s been the Yankees starting third baseman since 2019 but has also played shortstop in his career.

After the trade, the infield likely looks like a time-share at catcher with Ryan Jeffers and Sanchez, Miguel Sano at first, some combo of Jorge Polanco and Luis Arraez in the middle infield, Urshela at third with power-hitting prospect Jose Miranda waiting in the wings. Sano and Sanchez could also split time at DH with Alex Kiriloff filling in at first base.

On the surface, Twins fans may see their team essentially trading their starting catcher, and starting third baseman for a different catcher/third baseman combo with prove-it years coming, while in the meantime surrendering a Gold Glove-caliber shortstop in the process, there is more to this deal than meets the eye.

The Twins were high on Kiner-Falefat. But when the Yankees called about him and offered to take the remaining $50 million owed to Donaldson in the deal, the offer was too good to pass up.

Yeah, the Twins are off the hook for Donaldson’s contract. The Twins’ highest-paid player on the payroll right now is the newly-acquired Sonny Gray, who is owed roughly $12 this season. Miguel Sano will make $10 million, and Byron Buxton will make $9 million before his new 7-year, $100 million contract begins next season.

With Donaldson off the books, it gives the Twins some wiggle room to make another splashy free agent signing.

“It’s hard to find another place for the Twins to use than money than on free agent shortstop Trevor Story,” says Brandon Warne of Access Twins. “To find a team willing to take on Donaldson’s contract and still give you back two very usable players in Urshela and Sanchez. The amount of payroll space available to the Twins now tells me that something big is coming.”

Bringing in Story makes a lot of sense for the Twins: Story wants to remain a shortstop with his new team (the Twins need a shortstop) and reportedly turned down a nine-figure deal that would have required him to change positions. Story had a down season last year while battling an elbow injury, hitting .251 with 24 home runs, 75 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. But there is no question about Story’s talent level, a rare combination of shortstop power and speed: 72 home runs and 50 stolen bases in 2018-19, and led the league with 15 stolen bases in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

The Twins are also rumored to be talking to the Oakland A’s about acquiring another starting pitcher, either Sean Manaea or Frankie Montas. The Twins rotation right now includes Gray, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, and Dylan Bundy. Kenta Maeda is out until mid-summer after undergoing Tommy John surgery late last season.