I’m confused right now. The Washington Nationals, theoretically being rebuilt, apparently just pulled off the biggest win-now move in the market… OPE WAIT, WHILE I’M TYPED THIS, EVERYTHING GOT CRAZIER.
OK, look at all this:
BREAKING NEWS: Nationals sign DH Nelson Cruz to a two-year contract, per @TenchyRodNYC. https://t.co/3oD3KqTGEY
— Hector Gomez (@hgomez27) March 14, 2022
CORRECTION: 2022 – $15 million and 2023 – $13 million. No player optional, per @TenchyRodNYC. https://t.co/NEHbBxPM7V
— Hector Gomez (@hgomez27) March 14, 2022
BREAKING: The New York Yankees are finalizing a deal to acquire third baseman Josh Donaldson and shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa from Minnesota, sources have told ESPN.
—Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 14, 2022
Source confirms: The Yankees acquired 3B Josh Donaldson, SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ben Rortvedt for Gary Sánchez and Gio Urshela. First : @JeffPassan.
—Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 14, 2022
So you have the Nationals getting Nelson Cruz to a two-year contract, the Yankees getting Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the Twins (who just got him from Rangers), and the Twins getting Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela. I am dizzy.
Are the Nats about to make a huge push or something? Are the Yankees now happy with the left side of their infield with these two guys (and Gleyber Torres in second)? Are the Twins… what do the Twins do?
Now, what about teams that wanted Cruz, like the Padres and Dodgers? Are the Padres convinced they have Seiya Suzuki as their big stick, so they moved on and Cruz pivoted? Does this mean buying leads transactions are irrelevant? , or are they as important as ever? And does that mean the Dodgers think they might really have Freddie Freeman?
This is madness, I’ll have to think about it.
UPDATE: Meanwhile, reports from New York suggest, yes, this takes them out of the shortstop market (insofar as they really were there):
Kiner-Falefa has long been the target of #YankeesThink of it as SS until Peraza or Volpe is ready Right now, NYY IF probably LeMahieu at 1b, Torres at 2b, Kiner-Falefa at SS, Donaldson at 3b.
—Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) March 14, 2022
UPDATE 2: Indeed, other people are wondering what the Twins are up to, but they’ve released a lot of money:
the #MNTwins haven’t finished doing anything, especially after all of Josh Donaldson’s $50 million went off the books.
“A lot of irons.”
— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) March 14, 2022
UPDATE 3: On Cruz, it’s really happening with the Nationals, although Rosenthal says it’s a year, and Heyman clarifies that year two is a mutual option:
Designated free agent forward Nelson Cruz agreed with Nationals on one-year deal, pending physical, source says @TheAthletic.
—Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 14, 2022
Cruz deal is one year plus the mutual option #nats
—Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 14, 2022
