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Who won the Josh Donaldson vs. Gary Sanchez trade?

March 14, 2022

As you probably saw yesterday, the Minnesota Twins got their hands on Gio Urshela and Gary Sanchez. In return, the Yankees get their hands on Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and receiver Ben Rortvedt.

And I’ve never seen such a polarizing transaction. Both Yankees and Twins fans hate and love aspects of the trade at the same time.

Josh Donaldson, who is happy to land in New York, sees the Yankees take charge of his entire contract, that is another $50 million.

In fact, financially speaking, the Bombardiers have big commitments for the next two years.

He also joins the team of Gerrit Cole, a pitcher he had strongly criticized for his use of spider tack.

He comes to replace a Gio Urshela who was well liked in New York and who was doing a good job. The problem, in my opinion, is that Bringer of Rain is no longer Toronto’s 2015 MVP, but Yankees fans’ expectations will be high nonetheless.

Why do all this? To make Donaldson take advantage of the small fence in the right?

Reason #1 is probably because the Yankees needed a shortstop and Gary Sanchez is replaced by a real receiver.

Because yes, two days after being informed by Rangers that he was the club’s third goal and a day after being acquired by the Twins, Kiner-Falefa finds himself in New York. He’s currently the only true shortstop for the Yankees (Gleyber Torres is a second baseman)…unless that changes.

Because yes, maybe the Yankees could add a shortstop like Trevor Story.

But right now, it’s IKF, the new kid on the block, who’s taking the shortstop. Even though he’s a former catcher, he shouldn’t step behind the plate for New York.

In fact, behind the plate, the Yankees will have two receivers with a more defensive character: Kyle Higashioka and the newcomer Ben Rortvedt, the fifth piece of the transaction that nobody talks about.

The problem for the Yankees, who loosened the purse strings for this transaction, is that they added two right-handed hitters (only the young receiver, who hits badly, is left-handed) and they did not settle their problems in the infield.

At the moment the club don’t have a real first goal, but should play DJ LeMahieu there – if nothing changes – because Gleyber Torres, IKF and Donaldson have the other three positions.

Who will play shortstop if Kiner-Falefa takes the day off? Certainly not Torres…

But what will DJLM do if the club adds a southpaw to first base, which is absolutely not impossible?

On the side of the Twins, the advantages are a little clearer. Yes, Donaldson, the biggest star to sign in Minnesota, is gone, but Gio Urshela is an efficient player who will cost a fraction of the price of his counterpart.

And for Gary Sanchez, who the club does not intend to trade until the start of the season, the plan would be to place him as a DH and as backup receiver to Ryan Jeffers. And in his last year of contract, he will have to prove himself.

At the Twins, we try to win (the acquisition of Sonny Gray is a good sign), but we do not make every effort to do so. I feel like being a relatively competitive club is the goal in Minnesota.

The money freed up by Donaldson will help fill holes elsewhere.

So who won last night’s trade? Hard to say. I think we will have to see at the start of the season what will happen.

What do you think?

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March 14, 2022
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