According to a report from SNY’s Andy Martino, the Minnesota Twins have had “very preliminary” trade discussions with the New York Mets involving Josh Donaldson.
Martino reports that the Mets would like to upgrade at third base and adding the 35-year-old to the lineup would be a good place to start.
In 63 games this season, Donaldson has hit .250/.345/.486 with 13 home runs and 34 RBI but has turned it on as of late, hitting .293/.382/.653 with eight homers in his last 23 games.
While Donaldson has begun to perform on the field, Twins fans have become frustrated with his ability to stay healthy and his antics in the clubhouse.
Donaldson’s first season with the Twins was a wash after he missed 32 games and last October’s American League Wild Card Series with a calf injury. Donaldson hurt his hamstring in his first at-bat of the 2021 season and dealt with a calf issue last month.
Donaldson’s tenure with the Twins took another turn this week when he met Chicago White Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito in the parking lot after Giolito called him “a f*****g pest” for his antics after a home run on Tuesday night.
With the Twins 14.5 games out of first place in the American League Central, they could look to trade Donaldson before the July 31 trade deadline.
But according to Martino, the Mets do not want to trade any of their top prospects which could include shortstop Ronny Mauricio, pitcher Matthew Allan or third baseman Brett Baty. The Mets would also like to remain under MLB’s luxury tax threshold of $210 million.
Adding Donaldson, who is in the second year of a four-year, $92 million contract, would put the Mets over the threshold, meaning that the Twins would have to take on salary in order for the Mets to agree for a deal.
While those parameters make a deal involving Donaldson unlikely, it’s another sign that the Twins could be an aggressive team in the weeks leading up to the deadline.
