Report: Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa Traded to Yankees; Twins Get Sanchez, More

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Minnesota Twins third baseman Josh Donaldson is reportedly on the move in a headliner deal.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Twins traded Donaldson infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ben Rortvedt to the New York Yankees in exchange for catcher Gary Sanchez and third baseman Gio Urshela.

Donaldson, 36, is entering his 12th MLB season. He hit .247 (.827 OPS) with 26 home runs and 72 RBI in 135 games for the Twins last year.

The three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger had his best years with the Toronto Blue Jays.

In 2015, Donaldson won the American League MVP en route to leading the Jays to an AL East title and AL Championship Series appearance. He finished fourth in the MVP voting in 2016, when the Jays made a return trip to the ALCS.

From 2015-2017, Donaldson averaged 37 home runs and 100 RBI while hitting .285 (.946 OPS).

Injuries plagued Donaldson in 2018, but he enjoyed a resurgent 2019 season, smacking 37 homers and driving in 94 runners for the National League East-winning Atlanta Braves.

Donaldson signed a four-year, $92 million contract with the Twins as a free agent before the 2020 campaign. The bottom fell out on the 2019 and 2020 AL Central champions, though, as the team finished last at 73-89 in 2021.

Now he heads to a Yankees team that is surely in win-now mode and will benefit form his power as they look toward the playoffs.

He isn’t the only one who will be in pinstripes, though. Kiner-Falefa is a slick-fielding infielder who can play multiple positions. He won a Gold Glove in 2020 and was a solid offensive contributor at times last year while slashing .271/.312/.357 with 20 stolen bases.

It cost New York some notable pieces.

Sanchez is a two-time All-Star who won a Silver Slugger in 2017 and has four seasons with 20 or more home runs. Urshela hit as many as 21 home runs in a season in 2019 and just slashed .267/.301/.419 with 14 long balls and 49 RBI last year.