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Yankees acquire former AL MVP Josh Donaldson, send two-time All-Star Gary Sanchez to Twins in five-player trade
The first weekend of a hectic, abbreviated post-lockout MLB offseason featured plenty of player transactions. Sunday night ended with a doozy of a deal involving five players swapping teams between the Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees.
Catcher Ben Rortvedt is headed to the Yankees along with Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, sources tell ESPN. Catcher Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela are going to Minnesota.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 14, 2022
Earlier on Sunday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone was quoted as saying "we can win now with what we have", but the reported deal with the Twins will undoubtedly alter their starting lineup. While Sanchez has struggled as a defender, and has gone through multiple prolonged slumps at the plate over his seven MLB seasons since debuting with New York, his power is undeniable.
In 538 career games, the 29-year-old has mashed 138 home runs and posted a pair of 30-plus home run campaigns. Urshela meanwhile has been somewhat of a late-bloomer, as he broke out during his age 27 season (and first with the Yankees) in 2019.
That year, the infielder posted career-highs across the board in games played (132), at-bats (442), home runs (21), RBIs (74), runs scored (73), hits (139) and doubles (34), while posting a career-best .314/.355/.534 slash line as well.
Since making his MLB debut in 2010 with the Oakland Athletics, Donaldson has put together a resumé that includes an AL MVP award (2015), three All-Star nods and two Silver Slugger awards. He is coming off of a season in which he hit 26 home runs and collected 72 RBIs, while posting a .247/.352/.475 slash line over 457 at-bats in 135 games.
Crucial detail in the trade, per @Joelsherman1. ⬇️ https://t.co/IBIuiB4MCz
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) March 14, 2022
The versatile Kiner-Falefa has made at least 20 appearances at catcher, second base, third base and shortstop over his four-year career and had career-best marks in nearly every category in 2021 including games played (158), at-bats (635), home runs (eight), RBIs (53), steals (20), runs scored (74), hits (172) and doubles (25). This is the second trade in as many days for Kiner-Falefa, after he was dealt from the Texas Rangers to the Twins on Saturday.
After being selected in the second round of the 2016 MLB June Amateur Draft, Rortvedt made his way through the minor league system and made his big league debut in 2021, earning 89 at-bats over 39 games. He finished the year with three home runs and seven RBIs.
More must-reads:
- Rangers trade one-time Gold Glove infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa to Twins
- Yankees manager Aaron Boone: 'We can win now with what we have'
- The 'Active 20-home run MLB seasons' quiz
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Cubs' Craig Counsell earns most tame ejection of MLB season
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Knicks can fortify backcourt with ideal feee agent point guard
The New York Knicks have a strong backcourt as is, but could use one more playmaker should injuries plague their roster next season. Knicks: Monte Morris is a logical option in free agency Among the options remaining in unrestricted free agency is Monte Morris. A reliable backup veteran floor general of his ilk could service New York well. Morris averages 9.5 points with an uber-efficient shooting line of 47.4 percent from the field, 38.9 percent from three-point range, topped off with 82.7 percent from the free throw line for his career. The Iowa State product averaged 5.3 assists per game in 2022-23. He hovers just below four APG for his career. A playoff-tested Morris is what the Knicks need With 57 games of postseason experience under his belt, Morris can bring veteran leadership to New York’s locker room. He also dictates the pace well on the court. Though the Knicks were a noticeably good passing team last season, the ball club does not have another volume passer behind All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson, though Jordan Clarkson is an elite scorer off the bench. Miles McBride is a promising two-way guard alongside him. Thus, Morris would be a quintessential depth option for New York to house. Should his number be called at any point in the season, he’d be a piece that could start or play substantive minutes off the bench.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin Pulled Off A Risky Move That Flirted With Tampering In Landing Key Free Agent
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been a very different team ever since General Manager Omar Khan took over the front office in the middle of the 2022 offseason. Khan has approached each year since with a bit of aggression, while striving to improve the roster and give Pittsburgh their best chance at winning their seventh Lombardi Trophy. Pittsburgh has been more active on the trade market, more hungry to bring in big name players during free agency, and more willing to trade away their own talent if things haven't been going the way the organization envisioned. The 2025 offseason was a big one for Pittsburgh as the organization parted ways with George Pickens and brought in DK Metcalf. Several other additions were made as well, including Jalen Ramsey. During the 2024 offseason, Pittsburgh brought in inside linebacker Patrick Queen in free agency. This was a big add as he had previously been an All-Pro for the Baltimore Ravens, and Pittsburgh had to play him twice a year. After one of those games, Head Coach Mike Tomlin shared a message with Queen on the field in Pittsburgh. Queen told this story during the most recent episode of Not Just Football With Cam Heyward. "So we was playing in Pittsburgh, and Mike T comes to me after the game," Queen explained. "He's like, 'You're going to be a Steeler.' I'm like, 'Who said that?' I had no idea who said that. And he just walked off. So I'm looking around wondering who said that. Once I got here, he told me that it was him. It doesn't even register, like in the time, that you could speak things into existence." Queen became a free agent after the 2023 season, so the game he is referring to is likely the won that the Steelers won at home that year. Kenny Pickett found Pickens down the right sideline for a touchdown late in the game and Pittsburgh won the contest by a score of 17-10. Rather than celebrating, Tomlin walked up to Queen in order to plant a seed about him potentially joining Pittsburgh in the following year. Before bringing this story up, Queen checked in with Cam Heyward to make sure it was legal to discuss. It might be frowned upon for an opposing coach to go up to a player on another team after a game like this and say something, but it doesn't fall into the category of tampering. Heyward is Pittsburgh's rep and a vice president for the NFL Player's Association, so he knows how the tampering rules work -- and he knows his coach did nothing wrong. What Tomlin did might flirt with the idea of tampering, but it sounds like he made one simple comment to Queen after the game and then walked off the field. No contractual business was discussed, and Tomlin made no form of illegal contact since the conversation took place after a game. Steelers' Mike Tomlin Played A Major Role In Patrick Queen Coming To Pittsburgh It is no secret that Tomlin is one of the most well-respected coaches in the NFL, and players all around the league would love to have the opportunity to play for him. Queen was that same way, and he got an up close look at Tomlin twice a year while he was with Baltimore. The linebacker was coming up on free agency, and the Ravens did not seem to have any intention of signing him. Queen had interest from other teams around the league outside of the Steelers, but he wound up choosing Pittsburgh, despite having more lucrative offers elsewhere. This shows the effect that Tomlin can have, and why he is beneficial to the organization in Pittsburgh, despite facing a ton of criticism.
Dan Orlovsky Shares New Expectations of Packers after Micah Parsons Trade
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