MLB Deals: Twins acquire Isiah Kiner-Falefa from Rangers for Mitch Garver in a three-player deal

The Minnesota Twins Need a shortstop and Texas Rangers Need a mask. On Saturday, the two sides met in a three-player deal that sends a short stopping point Isaiah Keener Valiva Signed to Minnesota for the catcher Mitch Garver. Both teams announced the trade.

There has been some belief that Kiner-Falefa, 27, later this month, will remain with Rangers after the prospective player. Josh Jong Recent shoulder surgery. Kiner-Falefa won the Gold Glove in third place in 2020 before moving to the Shortstop team in 2021. Cory Seeger And the Marcus Simin Signatures before closing.

Kiner-Falefa is an outstanding defender with a light racket (career .265/.316/.354) and speed replaces Andrelton Simmons For twins, it will be a temporary fix even the highest expectations Royce Lewis And the Austin Martin are ready. He’s under team control as a player eligible to referee until 2023, so it’s not a one-year lease to Minnesota. Kiner-Falefa is a 2-year add-on.

The twins have two young fishermen ready for MLB in Ryan Jeffers And the Ben Rortvedt, which makes the 31-year-old Garver consumable. He’s dealt with several injuries in the past two seasons, although he’s also hit .254/.348/.546 with 46 times in 184 games since 2019. That makes him one of baseball’s best players. Like Kiner-Falefa, Garver is under team control until 2023.

With Garver joining Seager and Semien (and Cole Calhoun), the reconstructed Texas lineup would look like this:

1. DH Willie Calhoun
2. 2B Marcus Simin
3. SS Korean Seger
4. C. Mitch Garver
5. 1 b Nathaniel Lowe
6. CF Adulis Garcia
7. RF Cole Calhoun
8. LF Nick Solak
9. 3 b Andy Ibanez

Rangers still have a lot of work to do on their playing staff, although the squad was more intimidating than it was a year ago, when Texans finished last in the MLS in terms of goals scored. Young’s injury will keep him out until at least August, so the Texans can still bring in a third baseman for a while, like Jonathan Villar or travis show.

The 21-year-old prospect Ronnie Henriquezwhich ranked No. 15 in the Rangers system before the trade, According to MLB.com. He earned a 5.04 ERA in 69 2/3 innings at Double-A in 2021, and an MLB.com Exploratory Report says it “shows flashes from three additional pitches.”

The Twins went 73-89 in a “whatever can go wrong will go wrong” season in 2021, even though they have talent and AL Central is not a strong division. Rangers went 60-102 a year ago and are making big moves this winter and trying to compete sooner rather than later.