New York Yankees make major move to acquire 3B Josh Donaldson from Minnesota Twins
The New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins have agreed to a five-player trade that will bring former AL MVP Josh Donaldson to the Bronx.
The Twins are sending Donaldson, shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and catcher Ben Rortvedt to the Yankees for catcher Gary Sanchez and infielder Gio Urshela, the Yankees announced Sunday.
The Yankees have been looking to upgrade the left side of their infield this offseason and this move would allow them to slot Donaldson — the 2015 AL MVP with the Toronto Blue Jays — at third and Kiner-Falefa — an AL Gold Glove award winner in 2020 — at shortstop.
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Donaldson, 36, is a three-time All-Star who hit 41 homers and drove in 123 runs for the A's in 2015, when he won MVP honors. He has battled injures later in his career, but hit 26 homers in 135 games last season for the Twins, splitting his time between third base and DH.
The Yankees are also taking on the entire $50 million remaining on Donaldson's contract.
Sanchez, the runner-up for AL rookie of the year honors in 2016, is a two-time All-Star and could take over behind the plate for the Twins, who traded starting catcher Mitch Garver to Texas last week in a deal for Kiner-Falefa.