NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 17: Gary Sanchez #24 of the New York Yankees connects on a first inning 3-run home run against the New York Mets at Citi Field on August 17, 2017 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Perhaps the most polarizing Yankee since Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sanchez is the centerpiece of a stunning trade between the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins.
The once highly touted catcher will head to Minnesota with infielder Gio Urshela in exchange for shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa, former AL MVP Josh Donaldson, and catcher Ben Rortvedt.
About 12 hours prior, Yankees manager Aaron Boone stated with certainty that Urshela would be the Yankees’ starting shortstop. Now? Not so much.
Acquiring Kiner-Falefa is bittersweet, as Yankee fans had high hopes of getting other free-agent shortstops, such as Carlos Correa or Trevor Story. He’s not a household name, but he did win a gold glove and registered 172 hits last year—more than anyone on last year’s Yankee team—with eight home runs and 53 RBI.
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Also able to handle third base, Kiner-Falefa posted a .972 fielding percentage at shortstop in 2021. In addition, he’s played 73 MLB games at catcher.
Donaldson, 36, is a three-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger, and won the 2015 AL MVP. He owns a career line of .269/.367/.505 over 11 MLB seasons (Oakland, 2010, ‘12-’14; Toronto, 2015-’18; Cleveland, 2018; Atlanta, 2019; and Minnesota, 2020-21). Donaldson last year hit .247 with 26 doubles, 26 home runs, and 72 RBIs in 135 games.
One new teammate could be jarred by the move: Donaldson was an outspoken critic of Yankees ace Gerrit Cole following MLB’s crackdown of pitchers using foreign substances on their hand. Cole’s spin rate went down when the league got tough.
The Yanks will take on the two remaining years and about $50 million left on Donaldson’s contract.
Sanchez had been on the decline for the past couple of years, drew the ire of fans and team management, and even lost some starts to backup Kyle Higashioka.
The 24-year-old Rortvedt made his MLB debut last year, hitting .169/.229/.281 with three homers and seven RBI in 39 games. He has ties to NYY’s catching coach Tanner Swanson from their time together in Minnesota.
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