NEWYORK –
The New York Yankees reworked the left side of their pitch, acquiring former AL MVP Josh Donaldson, substitute Isiah Kiner-Falefa and backup catcher Ben Rortvedt from the Minnesota Twins on Sunday night for catcher Gary Sánchez and the third player Gio Urshela,
New York has eliminated the two-time All-Star Sánchez, who has been on defensive duty and down in form for four consecutive seasons.
Donaldson, another right-hander in the Yankees right-heavy batting order, became a teammate of Gerrit Cole after showing last June that the Yankees host had tried to conceal his use of the ball. illegal racquet-handling assistant.
Kiner-Falefa was acquired by the Twins just Saturday from Texas in a deal for catcher Mitch Garver. The previous Sunday, Minnesota traded last year’s first-round options in amateur draft mode, 18-year-old right-hand man Chase Petty to Cincinnati to catch Sonny Grey himself.
No cash is involved in this transaction. The Yankees will be responsible for Donaldson’s $21 million salary for each of the next two seasons plus a $16 million general selection for 2024 with a $6 million buyout if rejected by the team. He agreed to a 4-year, $92 million contract with the Twins, the richest free agency deal in franchise history.
Donaldson was the 2015 AL MVP with Toronto and an All-Star for three consecutive seasons from 2014-16. Now 36, he hit .247 with 26 homers and 72 RBIs last year in his second season with the Twins.
New York is looking to correct a foul that has scored two or fewer runs in 44 games and has been disqualified eight times. Right-handed hitters accounted for 68.6% of New York’s appearances last season (4,160 out of 6,060), and the Yankees are trying to add a left-handed header.
Kiner-Falefa, who turns 27 on March 23, was a Golden Gloves third team athlete in the 2020 pandemic shortened season, then transferred to the short-term competition last year.
He became spendable when Rangers signed Corey Seager on December 1, the day before the close, and traded on Saturday with Twns. He hit 0.271 with eight home throws and 53 RBIs last season. Kiner-Falefa is eligible to referee for 2022 and 23, and is a free agent after the 2024 season.
New York is looking to make a short addition after moving Gleyber Torres to a second facility on September 13 for the remainder of the season. Torres made 18 errors in a short span of time last season, the second most in the AL at the time of his move.
Sánchez, 29, was an All-Star in 2017 and 2019 but fell short of his streak in 2017, when he hit .278 with 33 homers and 90 RBI. He beat .204 with 23 home hits and 54 RBIs last year
Sánchez led the AL in passes in three of the last five seasons. He had eight seasons ago, when the players threw 60 wild throws with Sánchez behind the plate, a career high.
He’s eligible to be a free agent after this season.
Besides Sanchez, Ryan Jeffers is the only remaining option in the main catch position for the Twins.
Urshela, 30, is a skilled puncher, hitting 267 with 18 doubles, 14 own goals and 49 RBIs last season. He signed a $6.55 million, one-year contract.
After their biggest contract trade, the Twins can prepare themselves for another high-dollar, premium player. They have a big hole in the stop again, assuming Urshela slips in in third, and could certainly use more early throws.
