Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins have no plans to flip Gary Sanchez after acquiring the veteran catcher from the New York Yankees on Sunday, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Sanchez, along with infielder Gio Urshela, was traded to Minnesota in exchange for third baseman Josh Donaldson, infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa and catcher Ben Rortvedt.

Sanchez is expected to share time behind the plate with Ryan Jeffers.

Rumblings that Sanchez could be dealt began in November 2020 when Ken Davidoff, Joel Sherman and Dan Martin of the New York Post reported the Yankees would "at minimum listen to offers."

Sanchez seemed to fall out of favor with Yankees manager Aaron Boone during last year's postseason. His only appearance in the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays was as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the eighth in Game 5.

The past three complete seasons have been difficult for Sanchez. He hit .200/.296/.453 with 62 homers and 154 RBI in 244 games since the start of 2018. The 28-year-old set career lows with a .147 batting average, .253 on-base percentage and .365 slugging percentage in 2020.

In 117 games last season, Sanchez had a .204/.307/.423 slash line with 23 homers and 54 RBI.

The Yankees, like Sanchez, had an inconsistent 2021 season that left them in a state of uncertainty coming into this season. They did make the playoffs with a 92-70 record, but were shutout in a 1-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox in the AL Wild Card game.

Sanchez's salary is also starting to increase through arbitration. He's projected to earn $7.9 million in 2022, per Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors.

Another problem that Sanchez has had is his defense behind the plate. He led or tied for the American League lead in passed balls three times in four seasons from 2017-20. He finished 52nd out of 62 catchers in framing rate in 2020, per Baseball Savant.

Even though there are some red flags with Sanchez's game right now, he has the potential to be an excellent buy-low player for the Twins. The Dominican star slugged over .500 three times in four years from 2016 to 2019 and hit at least 30 homers twice (2017, 2019).

There may come a time soon when the defense prevents Sanchez from catching every day, but his bat is good enough when he's firing on all cylinders for him to serve as a designated hitter.

Josh Donaldson is on the move to the Bronx in a headliner deal.

The New York Yankees acquired Donaldson, infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ben Rortvedt from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for catcher Gary Sanchez and third baseman Gio Urshela. 

ESPN's Jeff Passan, MLB Network's Jon Heyman and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic were the first to report the details of the deal.

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 to 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 it looks toward the playoffs.

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.

The trade 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 21 home runs in 2019 and just slashed .267/.301/.419 with 14 long balls and 49 RBI last year.

The Cincinnati Reds have traded starting pitcher Sonny Gray to the Minnesota Twins, the team announced Sunday.

Minnesota will also receive minor league pitcher Francis Peguero in exchange for prospect Chase Petty, a first-round pick in the 2021 MLB draft.

Gray is coming off an up-and-down season with Cincinnati, having posted a 4.19 ERA with 155 strikeouts in 26 starts. 

The 32-year-old had several bright moments, posting a 2.20 ERA in five May starts and a 2.93 ERA in August. Consistency was an issue, however, with July (5.88 ERA) and September (5.12 ERA) hurting his overall numbers.

Gray has still proved himself in the past as a two-time All-Star with a 3.61 career ERA and 1.22 WHIP. He struck out 10.6 batters per nine innings over his three years in Cincinnati, giving him plenty of upside if he can keep the hits down in 2022.

The veteran should provide an immediate boost to the Twins pitching staff, which struggled in 2021 after trading Jose Berrios. With Michael Pineda also a free agent, there are few sure things in the rotation. 

According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, Minnesota is looking to add another starting pitcher even after acquiring Gray.

Peguero is likely still a few years from contributing after ending last season with a 4.96 ERA in 28 appearances in Single-A. 

The Reds, meanwhile, get some help in restocking their farm system with the addition of Petty, who was considered the Twins' seventh-best prospect, per MLB.com. The 18-year-old has just two professional appearances but offers plenty of upside after being drafted directly out of high school.     

The Minnesota Twins traded catcher Mitch Garver to the Texas Rangers for shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and pitching prospect Ronny Henriquez, the Twins announced Saturday.

ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel first reported details of the trade.

Texas will hope Garver can put together a bounce-back season as he takes over as the club's starting catcher.

The 31-year-old New Mexico native was terrific for Minnesota in 2019. He posted a .995 OPS with 31 home runs across just 93 appearances—a 54-homer pace across a full 162-game campaign—to earn a Silver Slugger Award.

He struggled during the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season, posting a .511 OPS in 23 games, and couldn't shake off a series of injuries last year when his numbers were starting to rebound (.875 OPS).

Garver underwent groin surgery in early June and then dealt with lingering rib and back ailments upon his return in mid-July.

"Wrecked by injuries, absolutely," the veteran slugger told reporters in September when asked to describe his 2021. "Wrecked is an understatement."

It's a high-upside addition for the Rangers, who will slot him into the middle of their lineup alongside Marcus Semien, Adolis Garcia, Nathaniel Lowe and Corey Seager. The success of the deal depends on Garver staying healthy, though.

Meanwhile, the offseason addition of Seager, who signed a 10-year, $325 million contract as a free agent in December before the lockout, made Kiner-Falefa expendable for Texas.

Kiner-Falefa, a former catcher, took over as the Rangers' primary shortstop last season. He was a standout defender, racking up 10 defensive runs saved (via FanGraphs), but his .670 OPS and eight homers in 158 games wasn't enough to prevent the pursuit of Seager.

He'll take over as the Twins shortstop after the departure of Andrelton Simmons, who signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Chicago Cubs on Friday, per Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.

Henriquez, rated by MLB.com as the Rangers' 15th-best prospect, is a 21-year-old right-hander with 53 games of minor league experience.

He split the 2021 season between the High-A Hickory Crawdads and the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders. He compiled a 4.71 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 105 strikeouts in 93.2 innings across 21 appearances (16 starts).

Henriquez will probably spend another year in the minors before competing for a rotation spot in 2023.

The Minnesota Twins have agreed to a seven-year, $100 million extension with veteran center fielder Byron Buxton, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Rosenthal had previously reported a deal was close, with Jeff Passan of ESPN adding that the two sides had agreed to a nine-figure deal.

The deal comes as the 27-year-old was set to enter his final year of arbitration. Rosenthal and Dan Hayes of The Athletic reported July 25 that the two sides hadn't reached an agreement on a long-term extension, thus raising the potential of a trade.

Hayes and Rosenthal also reported Minnesota's best offer to that point included at least $80 million guaranteed over seven years.

The Twins' hesitance to go higher than that was understandable, as was Buxton's belief that the total didn't match up with what his value could be in the future. Perhaps there's also some lingering frustration with how the organization handled his service time years ago.

When he's healthy, the No. 2 pick in the 2012 draft can be one of the most dynamic players in MLB. Over 140 games in 2017, he hit 16 home runs and had a .314 on-base percentage while stealing 29 bases and winning a Gold Glove in center.

As he became more accustomed to major league pitching, his offense started to come around. In 18 games across April and March this year, Buxton had eight homers and a 1.363 OPS.

Once again, though, injuries got in the way of his success. The Baxley, Georgia, native missed time because of a strained right hip before he fractured his left hand after getting hit by a pitch in June.

Buxton returned in August and finished 2021 with 61 appearances. He closed the year on a high, posting a .966 OPS in 29 games across September and October, per Baseball Reference.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli had a promising career derailed by injuries, so he had an idea what Buxton might be experiencing in terms of his frustration at missing so much time.

"He's beyond upset. And that's what I would expect from him," he told reporters in June. "... I think the number of traumas, physically, that he's had to deal with, and because of that, emotionally, when you have to deal with that many types of things, difficult things, it's hard on you."

During his hot start to 2021, Buxton was basically the best hitter in MLB, outperforming even Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout. Were it not for his hip and hand injuries, he almost certainly would've cooled off eventually. Still, that stretch illustrated his tantalizing potential.

When it comes to Buxton's health, no team knows more than the Twins. Their willingness to hand him a multiyear extension is seemingly a sign of the franchise's confidence in his ability to turn a corner in that regard.

To some extent, this also sends a message to the players and fanbase that ownership will pony up to keep Minnesota's best homegrown stars around.

Public opinion is reportedly having some impact on whether the Minnesota Twins will trade Byron Buxton. 

Per The Athletic's Dan Hayes and Ken Rosenthal, Twins chairman Jim Pohlad is "reluctant" to move the 27-year-old because "such a decision potentially would upset a fanbase tired of seeing the team part with homegrown stars."

Buxton is entering his final year of arbitration in 2022. He was rumored to be on the trade block in July, but the Twins kept him. 

Minnesota is in a difficult position with Buxton. He has been excellent over the past three seasons with a .277/.321/.575 slash line, 42 homers and 25 stolen bases. 

Per ESPN.com, Buxton tied for eighth among all center fielders in defensive wins above replacement in 2021 (1.2). 

Buxton is the kind of player every organization in Major League Baseball should want to build around if you only look at his stats. 

But durability has been a problem for him throughout his career. The 2017 Gold Glove winner has missed at least 22 games in each of his seven seasons. He has only appeared in 215 out of a possible 546 games since the start of 2018. 

Minnesota's struggles last season prompted the front office to start selling off players at the trade deadline, including Jose Berrios, Nelson Cruz, J.A. Happ and Hansel Robles. 

Berrios was the only player under team control beyond the 2021 season, but he is also part of what might concern Pohlad about the backlash.

The right-hander was a first-round pick (No. 32 overall) in the same 2012 draft class with Buxton (No. 2). Both players were developed by the organization and helped them win back-to-back American League Central titles in 2019 and 2020.    

Toronto Blue Jays reliever Ryan Borucki and manager Charlie Montoyo have been suspended after Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier was hit by a pitch during Wednesday's game.

Borucki received a three-game suspension, which he is expected to appeal. Montoyo told reporters at Target Field that he received a one-game ban, and he will serve it on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins. 

The situation between Kiermaier and the Jays began on Monday night. The Rays outfielder picked up a data card that fell out of Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk's wristband as he was making a tag on Kiermaier at the plate. 

Per Arash Madani of SportsNet, the card contained Toronto's pitching game plan for Rays hitters. 

Montoyo told reporters after Tuesday's game between the two teams that Rays manager Kevin Cash apologized to him for the situation. The Blue Jays skipper described it as "agua under the bridge" at that point. 

Borucki apparently didn't get that message for the final game of the series on Wednesday night. The left-hander hit Kiermaier in the back with his first pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning. 

Both benches cleared, though there was no physical altercation, and Borucki was immediately ejected from the game. Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker was also tossed out by the umpires after arguing about Borucki's ejection. 

The Rays went on to win the game 7-1 to clinch their third consecutive postseason berth.    

J.A. Happ's brief stint with the Minnesota Twins has ended with a trade to the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

The Cardinals confirmed the deal, noting the Twins will receive pitchers Evan Sisk and John Gant for the former All-Star. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com first reported the trade and return.

The Twins signed Happ to a one-year contract in January after the left-hander spent the previous two-plus years with the New York Yankees. It seemed like a good low-risk investment for a team in need of pitching depth. He was coming off a solid 2020 season with a 3.47 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in nine starts.

Happ got off to a fantastic start in Minnesota with a 1.96 ERA through four outings in April. Things quickly turned for him when the calendar flipped to May, though. For the season, he's gone 5-6 with a 6.77 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 77 strikeouts in 98.1 innings. 

The Twins have been one of the biggest disappointments in Major League Baseball, as their 43-60 record ranks last in the American League Central. 

With Happ only signed for this year, it made sense for the Twins to move on from the 38-year-old. In return, they get Gant, who has a 3.42 ERA in 14 starts, along with Sisk, who was in Double-A Springfield before the trade.

The Cardinals can continue to use Happ as a starter, especially against opponents with heavy left-handed lineups. He could also be shifted to the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever in certain situations.

Amid a disappointing 2021 season, the Minnesota Twins have gone into sell mode by trading starting pitcher Jose Berrios to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.

Toronto confirmed the move, noting the Twins will receive shortstop Austin Martin and pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson in exchange for Berrios.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported the agreement, with Jeff Passan of ESPN relaying the return, describing it as a "massive haul."

Expectations were high for the Twins coming into this season. They had made the postseason in three of the past four seasons, including back-to-back American League Central titles in 2019 and 2020. 

A combination of injuries and poor performances has seen Minnesota fall to the bottom of the AL Central standings with a 43-60 record.

Berrios has been one of the few bright spots. The 27-year-old is on pace to have the lowest ERA of his career (3.48) along with 126 strikeouts and 95 hits allowed through 121.2 innings over 20 starts. 

The Twins found themselves in a difficult spot with Berrios. He has one more year of team control before being eligible for free agency in the winter of 2022.

Given the state of Minnesota's roster, with most of its key position players under contract beyond this season, it would be easy for general manager Thad Levine to expect his team to return to contention in 2022.

While that still might be the case, moving Berrios leaves the Twins with more questions in their starting rotation. Michael Pineda and J.A. Happ can become free agents this offseason. 

They will at least restock the farm system with two top-100 prospects in Martin (No. 16) and Woods Richardson (No. 68), according to MLB.com.

Martin was the fifth overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft and has performed well in Double-A with a .281 batting average and .424 on-base percentage in 55 games. He has also played both shortstop and center field this season, giving the Twins options going forward.

Woods Richardson has a 5.76 ERA in 11 starts in Double-A, but he also has 67 strikeouts in 45.1 innings and 11.6 career strikeouts per nine innings in the minors.

Meanwhile, the Blue Jays are going for it in 2021 with the luxury of knowing Berrios will be in their rotation next year. The right-hander has dominant stuff and can be a high-end starter when he's at the top of his game. 

Toronto entered Friday fourth in the AL East at 51-48 but remains 4.5 games out of the wild-card race.

The lineup is one of the best in the majors behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but the pitching needed help. The Blue Jays add another reliable pitcher behind Robbie Ray and Hyun Jin Ryu who will help them compete during the stretch run.

Having already gone into sell mode, the Minnesota Twins are reportedly intensifying their trade talks involving All-Star pitcher Jose Berrios. 

Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Dan Hayes, the possibility of Berrios being traded is "increasing" because the market has exceeded Minnesota's initial expectations.

Rosenthal and Hayes noted virtually every playoff contender has checked in on Berrios, including the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays. 

Joel Sherman of the New York Post added the New York Mets are in the mix as well.

Hayes noted the asking prices for teams selling has been described as "borderline ridiculous" to this point. 

The Padres' interest in Berrios may not last much longer, as Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported they are close to acquiring Max Scherzer from the Washington Nationals.

Even with the Padres potentially out of the mix, there are enough good teams reportedly in on Berrios to at least make it worth Minnesota's while to listen before the trade deadline arrives at 4 p.m. ET on Friday. 

The Blue Jays, Yankees and Mets are probably the teams with the most urgency to acquire a starting pitcher. 

The Mets and Blue Jays rank 27th and 28th in Major League Baseball in innings pitched by their starters this season. Robbie Ray and Hyun Jin-Ryu are the only Toronto starters who have made at least 10 starts and have an ERA under 4.00. 

New York currently has Jacob deGrom, David Peterson and Joey Luchessi on the injured list. Carlos Carrasco has yet to pitch this season due to a torn hamstring, but he's set to make his debut on Friday against the Cincinnati Reds. 

The Yankees have already pulled off one blockbuster, acquiring Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers to boost their offensive production. But they still need another top-of-the-rotation arm to pair with Gerrit Cole for a potential postseason push. 

Berrios' value is certainly helped by the fact he has an additional year of team control in 2022 before hitting free agency. The 27-year-old has a 3.48 ERA with 126 strikeouts and 95 hits allowed in 121.2 innings this season.