Twins acquire former World Series champion in trade
A look at a Twins logo at Target Field. Photo taken on August 24, 2016 by Terry Foote/Wikimedia via CC BY-SA 4.0
The Minnesota Twins are bringing in some veteran leadership to their club.
The Twins are acquiring outfielder Michael A. Taylor in a trade with the Kansas City Royals, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported on Monday.
The Minnesota Twins are acquiring centerfielder Michael A. Taylor in a trade with the Kansas City Royals, sources tell me and @kileymcd.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 23, 2023
Taylor, 31, spent the last two seasons with the Royals after signing with them as a free agent. He batted .254 with a .670 OPS in 124 games last season. He is regarded as a strong defender and won a Gold Glove in 2021.
Taylor was a sixth-round draft pick by the Washington Nationals in 2009 and played for them from 2014-2020. He proved himself as a strong postseason player in both 2017 and 2019.
Taylor batted .333 (5-for-15) in the 2017 postseason with the Nats, hitting two home runs. In their 2019 championship season, Taylor batted .333 in a series win over the Dodgers. He also slugged home runs in both the NLCS and World Series.
The Twins are set with Byron Buxton in center field. They also have Max Kepler, Trevor Larnach and Alex Kirilloff, so Taylor will likely provide some depth to a group of players who are typically susceptible to injuries.
