Sánchez, Urshela Enjoying Minnesota as Yankees Visit Twins

The former Yankees will play their old team for the first time on Tuesday.

Shortly after Josh Donaldson hit a walk-off sac fly for the Yankees on Sunday, the third baseman was asked if he had any feelings about returning to Minnesota.

Donaldson spent the previous two seasons with the Twins, who host the Yankees between Tuesday and Thursday. Minnesota traded Donaldson to New York shortly before the 2022 season, but the series doesn’t come with any strong emotions for the 36-year-old.

“No, I mean I had a good time there. They’re having success and I’m happy for them,” Donaldson said of the Twins, who are in first place, just like the Yankees. “I wish them nothing but success. Just not against us.”

Odds are the three-game set will carry more weight for the men Donaldson was traded for.

The Yankees acquired Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and minor league catcher Ben Rortvedt on March 13 for Gary Sánchez and Gio Urshela. Sánchez had previously only played for New York and signed with the club as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic in 2009. Sánchez was considered the Yankees’ catcher of the future after power-heavy rookie and sophomore seasons in 2016 and 2017, but he slowly fell out of favor as his offensive numbers dropped and his defensive woes persisted.

Urshela, meanwhile, went from being a backup infielder to blossoming into an All-Star caliber player after breaking out with the Yankees in 2019. A suddenly productive hitter and web gem highlight reel at third base, Urshela established himself as a starting big leaguer over three seasons in the Bronx. However, his bat dipped a bit in 2021, and defensive metrics never looked at his glove the same way human eyeballs did.

And so, both players found themselves in Minnesota.

It’s only been a few months, but Sánchez and Urshela seem to be enjoying their new surroundings, if their production is any indication. Sánchez’s .229/.289/.446 slash line, while modest, is an improvement over his last two seasons with the Yankees, as is his 111 wRC+. The 29-year-old also has seven homers and 27 RBI over 43 games.

While Sánchez has split time between catcher and DH fairly evenly, he has improved his pitch framing and drawn positive reviews for his overall work behind the plate.

Urshela, meanwhile, is hitting .268/.326/.396 with five home runs and 23 RBI over 49 games. That roughly puts him on-track with the numbers he posted over his final season in pinstripes, but the 30-year-old’s OBP and wRC+ (110) are noticeably higher than they were at the end of 2021.

Now the former Yankees will get a chance to play against their old team for the first time. Tuesday’s series opener between Minnesota and New York is set for 7:40 p.m. All eyes are sure to be on the pair of Twins.

MORE:

• Gary Sánchez Stands With Miguel Andújar After Trade Request
• Yankees RP Zack Britton Encouraged by Recovery, Still Hopes to Return in 2022
• Miguel Andújar Requests Trade From Yankees After Latest Demotion

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