Breaking down the fascinating Yankees-Twins trade

We don't usually see trades like the curious deal the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins agreed to Sunday.

More often, we see veteran stars like Matt Olson traded for prospects, going from a rebuilding club like the Oakland A's to a contender like the Atlanta Braves. That happened Monday, and again later in the day when the Cincinnati Reds continued unloading payroll for prospects, demonstrating that the new CBA will do little to dissuade teams from tanking.

We rarely see multiple major leaguers going back and forth in a deal, but that's exactly what the Twins and Yankees did. Minnesota sent the talented but oft-injured Josh Donaldson, newly acquired and versatile defender Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and young catcher Ben Rortvedt to the Yankees for third baseman Gio Urshela and catcher Gary Sanchez.

What's interesting about this deal: it features two teams looking to get better today, this season, in the same league, as opposed to one club trying to improve and another looking far down the road.

Yes, the trade is something of a salary dump for Minnesota, getting out from under the 36-year-old Donaldson's contract ($50 million). But unlike other salary-shedding teams, the Twins could reinvest those savings in their 2022 payroll. They've been busy making other upgrades to their major-league roster, and the savings could allow them to land one of the remaining significant free agents available.

It's also a buy-low trade for a buy-low team.

Minnesota's an intriguing club. It was one of the more disappointing teams last year, but there's reason to believe it can rebound, especially if it gets a full season from Byron Buxton, who was extended prior to the lockout.

The Twins added a quality starting pitcher in Sonny Gray via trade with Cincinnati over the weekend, and another starter in Dylan Bundy in free agency before the lockout. The staff also includes intriguing young arms in Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober. Meanwhile, second baseman Jorge Polanco is an underrated player, Alex Kirilloff has been one of the top prospects in the game, and Max Kepler hit 36 home runs as recently as 2019.

Now they've added Sanchez and Urshela, with the flexibility to continue to try to get better now.

Urshela's glove is one of the most steady in the game. He learned how to lift and drive the ball in New York and posted back-to-back wRC+ marks of 133 in 2019 and 2020 before injuries played a role in slowing his production last season. He's a bounce-back candidate.

Sanchez is always going to have issues making contact. He's a lot like his new teammate, Miguel Sano: a batter with elite power and the ability to take a walk, but with contact issues.

He could be a temporary teammate. It's possible the Twins deal Sanchez to a team in search of power and one willing to live with his suspect defense (or place him at DH). But Sanchez owns some upside. Although he's never going to threaten to win a batting title, his batting average on balls in play the last two years was the lowest among hitters with at least 500 plate appearances (.212), and well below his career .250 mark.

While Sanchez is coming off two poor seasons, he's still only 29, and from 2016-19 was the top offensive catcher in baseball and fifth in WAR. He's also playing for a contract - Sanchez will be a free agent at the end of the year. He replaces some of what Minnesota lost by trading Mitch Garver to Texas.

As for the Yankees, they appear intent on upgrading their catching defense, and won't have to watch passed balls get by Sanchez any longer. While some of his defensive metrics had improved in recent years, the eye test still leaves much to be desired. He's regularly among the leaders in allowing pitches to go to the backstop.

Rortvedt is a young catcher (24) who New York believes adds defensive prowess, and who worked with innovative catching coach Tanner Swanson in Minnesota. Swanson installed a one-knee catching philosophy in Minnesota that helped so much with their framing numbers that the Yankees hired him away.

The versatile Kiner-Falefa gives the Yankees speed and a true shortstop glove and might take them out of the free-agent shortstop market. Sure, Trevor Story and Carlos Correa would be immediate upgrades, but New York shortstop prospect Anthony Volpe looks like a future star, and Oswald Peraza is another highly regarded shortstop in the system.

The Yankees are also approaching the new tax threshold and might prefer to spend elsewhere rather than at short. They might not be willing to spend like the Mets' Steve Cohen.

New York also got the best player in the deal in Donaldson if - if - he's healthy.

Yes, he's constantly battled injuries in recent years, but he's also incredibly consistent when he's on the field. His wRC+ has been at least 118 or better every season since his 2013 breakout in Oakland.

But he carries risk, and the Yankees already are rostering a lot of risk.

Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, and Donaldson all have multiple injury-plagued seasons on their resumes and all will open the season at age 30 or older. DJ LeMahieu had injury issues last year, too, sapping his productivity.

The Yankees tied as the third-oldest position player group in the majors last year and New York will again be one of the older and more injury-prone teams in 2022.

Lastly: Donaldson and Kiner-Falefa are right-handed. The Yankees were and remain one of the more right-handed dominant hitting teams in the sport. Last year, they had the third most right-handed batting vs. right-handed pitching plate appearances in baseball. (The Blue Jays were first.) But if Donaldson mashes, they can live with the platoon disadvantages.

The Yankees are likely a better team today - if they can stay healthy. The Twins have been trying to remain competitive and nimble. Perhaps they can be better, too.

What we know for sure: the American League just got more interesting.

Travis Sawchik is theScore's senior baseball writer.