Sánchez, Urshela deal has paid dividends for Twins

MINNEAPOLIS -- Considering the matchup history over the past two decades between the Twins and Yankees, just about any Bronx Bomber who enters the Upper Midwest with "New York" stamped across his chest is essentially persona non grata. Too many bad memories there; too many seasons ending in heartbreak; too many high expectations dashed by that brand.

So, imagine telling a Twins fan even six months ago that Target Field would soon be chanting Gary Sánchez's name in anticipation as he stepped to the plate, or that Twins fans would be roaring for Gio Urshela as the third baseman drove clutch knocks and made highlight-reel plays on defense. That would have seemed preposterous.

It's funny how quickly that sentiment can turn, and as the Twins prepare to welcome the Yankees for three games at Target Field from Tuesday to Thursday, there's a real appreciation around Minnesota, both inside and outside the clubhouse, that the acquisition of two of the newest Twins from the "Evil Empire" has played a big role in Minnesota's climb back to the top of the AL Central -- and, frankly, the fact that they were Yankees almost certainly helps.

"We knew we were getting two dynamic players, really big-time players," Twins starter Bailey Ober said. "I mean, these guys are dudes and they’ve been playing under the bright lights of New York for the majority of their careers. ... They bring in experience and leadership and helping out guys. No moment is too bright for them, because of where they have been in the past."

Neither Urshela nor Sánchez has opened up too much about his time playing under the microscope of the Bronx when asked; the third baseman downplayed the significance of the upcoming matchup and the catcher, whose tenure in New York was particularly tumultuous, has consistently spoken well of the Yankees in brief while turning his focus more towards his time in Minnesota.

But it's safe to assume that there's a load of pressure taken off when one moves from New York to Minnesota, away from that sort of spotlight, and manager Rocco Baldelli and players have remarked that Sánchez, who smiles when asked about the new beard he now gets to sport on the field, seems quite comfortable and enjoying of his day-to-day in the Twins' clubhouse -- and the production has followed.

"It’s not an easy thing to do," said Baldelli, who went through that sort of transition himself, having played for both Tampa Bay and Boston. "Not every guy does it naturally. Not every guy wants to deal with it and probably wants to have to handle those things on a daily basis, but the differences are undeniable. I think if you were sitting here, saying, 'No, there’s no difference in your day-to-day playing for one club or another club,' I think you’d be lying."

During that week in March when the wheeling and dealing Twins were the talk of Major League Baseball as they made sweeping overhauls to their roster, club leadership noted after they acquired Sánchez that they hoped a change in scenery would unlock the bat that took the league by storm during the catcher's rookie season in 2016 -- and they'd lean on him plenty as a backstop, too, despite the image that had often been painted of an ineffective pitch framer with blocking troubles during his later years in the Bronx.

Sánchez's .735 OPS, while not earth-shattering, is the fourth-best mark in baseball among catchers with at least 150 plate appearances this season, and his .446 slugging percentage is his best since his last All-Star campaign in 2019. His 27.6 percent whiff rate is the lowest of his career. His 50.9 percent hard-hit rate is the best of his career. His barrel numbers remain elite.

As for his once-controversial defense? Statcast now shows Sánchez as an above-average pitch framer -- nabbing borderline strikes for his pitcher -- for the first time since 2018, with the framing having jumped from MLB's 17th percentile in '21 to the 61st percentile this season. His rate of combined wild pitches and passed balls allowed is roughly equivalent to that of his catching-mate, Ryan Jeffers.

And more important, several Twins pitchers like throwing to him, and they're not shy in saying so. The young starters in particular have frequently praised Sánchez's efforts without prompting after their effective outings, impressed by his in-game instincts and the work he puts into, preparation, game planning and learning his pitchers.

"From the first time he caught me in Spring Training, I had a strong sense of confidence with him," Devin Smeltzer said. "Just trust the fingers that are put down. We talk about things. It's a lot of fun working with him. ... He's an awesome leader."

"Me and Gary have kind of got into a rhythm the past two games and kind of been seeing the game the same way, just keeping guys off balance and mixing all the pitches," rookie Josh Winder said before his shoulder injury.

"I think he's impressed our group," Baldelli said. "He's impressed his fellow teammates, especially the pitching staff with his ability to catch. He really does care. He's very accountable to his guys. He just wants to be good, and they know it. Overall, as a staff, too, we couldn't be more pleased with what we've gotten from him on the defensive side of the ball."

And while a slow start at the plate has deflated Urshela's overall numbers (and he leads the league in times grounding into double plays), several of his hits have come in key situations, with his ability to vary his approach at the plate playing particular dividends in a stretch two weeks ago in which Urshela was responsible for three go-ahead knocks in three straight games against Kansas City and Detroit -- one capping Minnesota's seven-run comeback at Kauffman Stadium, one a walk-off.

"Great talent, great player," Carlos Correa said. "A veteran of this game. He’s been doing it for a while now. It comes to a point in those situations that it doesn’t even feel like a big moment. You just feel like you’ve been doing this your whole life. That’s what it seems like for him. He seems experienced. He seems like he’s been there before. He seems like he’s been on the big stage before and you see him perform."

That's not to mention, too, the plethora of highlight-reel defensive plays -- whether leaping snags on line drives, tricky short-hop pickups, accurate throws from his backside -- that frequently makes the challenging look routine.

The overall defensive numbers don't really stand out -- Baseball-Reference has him exactly neutral, at 0.0 defensive WAR, and Statcast has Urshela in MLB's sixth percentile in Outs Above Average -- but those sorts of plays help the confidence of his teammates on the mound, especially when paired with Correa's stellar defense at shortstop.

"We know in clutch situations, he’s going to be able to move the ball," Chris Archer said. "And he’s played elite defense, like he has his whole career. Yeah, he’s been huge. A huge piece of this team. As well as Gary. Both those guys who came over in that trade have been huge for this year."

That stunning trade swapped Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ben Rortvedt for Sánchez and Urshela -- and though Donaldson and Kiner-Falefa have been solid contributors for their new team, the Twins also appear happy with their current situation, with Sánchez and Urshela not only performing on the field but contributing to a loose, relaxed clubhouse environment that many say feels different from that of last season, for the better.

Correa, Archer, Sonny Gray and Chris Paddack have also been big factors in that new clubhouse vibe, as have many of the youngsters who have stepped into more prominent roles this season. But Urshela and Sánchez are the ones who will take center stage this week as worlds once again intersect -- and so far, it's hard for the Twins to argue with the results of that deal.

"This year, we have the similar situations as we did last year, but last year, we didn't execute," Max Kepler said. "And we seemed to play with more pressure. And yeah, this year, it's just a good group of guys. So it's like we're fighting for each other. And when you're doing that, I always say this, whatever is in the box comes easier, and it doesn't feel more of like an individual sport."

"The chemistry to make each other better has been tremendous," Byron Buxton said. "And everybody is, you can tell, it’s no tension or no shyness in here. Everybody steps up to the plate to take accountability, responsibility and that’s what’s going to build a championship-caliber team."