The Minnesota Twins acquired center fielder Michael A. Taylor from the Kansas City Royals, team sources confirmed to The Athletic. Here’s what you need to know:
- Twins prospects Steven Cruz and Evan Sisk are going to the Royals in this deal.
- Taylor played for the Washington Nationals from 2014 to 2020 and the Royals from 2021 to 2022. Taylor won the World Series with the Nationals in 2019.
- Last season, Taylor slashed .254/.313/.357 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
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Twins acquire viable defender
The Twins have long sought a viable defender in center field to take over in the case of a Byron Buxton injury. Taylor’s as good of an option as they’ve ever had. Taylor won a Gold Glove in 2021 and produced 60 defensive runs saved in center for his career, including 19 each the past two seasons.
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His presence allows the Twins to cover for an injury and frees up Buxton to be used as a designated hitter more often as well. The price the Twins paid is significantly lower than it was last week when Kansas City asked for pitcher Josh Winder in return. — Hayes
What the Royals get in Cruz
Cruz is a 6-foot-7 right-hander with a triple-digit fastball, a sharp slider and little idea where either pitch is going most of the time, which qualifies him as an intriguing reliever prospect. He walked 68 batters and plunked nine more in 106 innings the past two years, and that actually represents improved control compared to his previous three seasons.
But there are also times when Cruz is able to simply overwhelm hitters with his raw stuff. He posted a 3.26 ERA with zero homers and 39 strikeouts in his final 30 innings at Double-A Wichita last year, and in 2021 he held Single-A hitters to a .189 batting average in 50 innings overall. It won’t work unless Cruz throws more strikes, but if he throws more strikes it could really work. — Gleeman
What the Royals get in Sisk
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Sisk, who was acquired from the Cardinals in a mid-2021 trade for J.A. Happ, is coming off a great season between Double-A and Triple-A, posting a 1.57 ERA with 76 strikeouts in 63 innings. That includes shutting down lefties, who hit just .085 with zero homers against Sisk in 2022.
Shaky control and mediocre raw stuff cap his upside, which is why the Twins are willing to trade someone with such incredible numbers. Sisk profiles as a potential middle reliever or lefty specialist. And at 25 years old, he’s ready for a chance in the majors. — Gleeman
Required reading
- Will the Twins’ trade for Pablo López be worth the sting of losing Luis Arraez?
- With Carlos Correa in tow, Twins look to further upgrade roster via potential trades
(Photo: Matt Krohn / Getty Images)
Source: https://t-tees.com
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