Trade Retrospective: Evaluating the Mitch Garver Deal

[Cody Christie]

The trade that sent Mitch Garver to the Texas Rangers had ripple effects on the Twins organization for years to come. All three players involved in the trade have ended up in new organizations, so did the Twins win this trade?

Image courtesy of © Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Twins made a flurry of moves before the 2022 season, and one of the most intriguing was sending Mitch Garver to the Texas Rangers in exchange for pitcher Ronny Henriquez and infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa. The deal was part of a more extensive roster reshaping, as the Twins quickly flipped Kiner-Falefa to the Yankees in a move that offloaded Josh Donaldson’s contract. Three years later, with Henriquez departing via waivers and Garver having completed his tenure in Texas, it’s time to assess how this trade played out.

The Rangers’ Return: Mitch Garver’s Impact in Texas
For Texas, Garver provided solid offensive production despite health concerns limiting his time behind the plate. Over two seasons, he accumulated 2.5 WAR while slashing .246/.342/.463 (.805). His best stretch came in 2023 when he hit 19 home runs and posted a .500 SLG while helping Texas win the World Series. However, lingering injury issues meant he appeared in just 157 games combined over those two years.

Garver played a significant role in Texas' championship-winning 2023 season, stepping up as a key designated hitter down the stretch. In the ALDS, he went 4-for-10 with a home run, a double, and seven RBI in the team’s three-game sweep over Baltimore. The ALCS against Houston went seven games, and Garver posted a .357 OBP while driving in four runs and scoring four. He may not have been a full-time catcher, but his offensive upside was a valuable addition to the Rangers’ lineup, especially when healthy. Ultimately, Texas got two years of inconsistent production before Garver left in free agency following the 2023 campaign.

The Twins’ Return: Henriquez’s Limited Role and the Donaldson Dump
For the Twins, the key piece in the trade ended up being Kiner-Falefa, but only for a matter of hours. Before he could suit up in a Twins uniform, he was packaged with Donaldson and Ben Rortvedt in a deal with the Yankees that brought back Gary Sánchez and Gio Urshela. That trade allowed the Twins to clear Donaldson’s $51.5 million commitment, giving them payroll flexibility to eventually sign Carlos Correa. 

That left Henriquez as the only long-term piece from the original trade. The young right-hander showed promise in the minors but struggled to carve out a consistent role at the big-league level. Across three seasons, he bounced between Triple-A and the majors, logging just 31 big-league innings with a 2.90 ERA. This week, the Twins placed him on waivers, and he was claimed by the Miami Marlins, officially ending his time in Minnesota.

Final Verdict: Did Anyone Win the Trade?
Looking back, the Rangers undoubtedly got more direct value from the trade. Garver wasn’t an everyday catcher, but he provided a potent bat, helped them win a World Series, and ultimately outperformed what the Twins got in return.

From Minnesota’s perspective, the trade can’t be evaluated in isolation. The Kiner-Falefa flip allowed the Twins to shed Donaldson’s contract, indirectly contributing to later moves, such as the team signing Correa in two consecutive winters and inking Pablo López to an extension. However, regarding on-field returns, Henriquez’s limited impact makes it difficult to argue that the Twins won this deal.

If the goal was pure production, Texas got the better end. If the goal was financial flexibility, Minnesota accomplished what it set out to do. Neither team received extensive value from the trade, but the Rangers have a World Series title thanks to Garver’s contributions. There was a lot of value in the Twins getting rid of Donaldson, which likely extended the team’s current winning window. 

Did the Twins indirectly win the Garver trade? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

 

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[LambchoP]

I think we did ok long term. It's not like we were going to sign Garver long term.

[Rod Carews Birthday]

I think that both clubs got something they wanted out of the deal.  It doesn't really move the needle much either way in the long term in terms of direct on the field benefit, but if it helped us sign Correa and Lopez, I do the trade 10/10 times again.  I remember thinking that we had an amazing catching situation with Garver, Rortvedt, and Jeffers at the time, but it all seemed to evaporate very quickly.   Jeffers seems to have become the best of the lot, so I guess we kept the right one, but none of them have become an all-star, either with the Twins or with another team. 

[Fatbat]

Not having Garver gives alot of dudes DH experience but it also brought Vasquez.

the only real return is C4. 💥 

Pablo trade had its own working parts.

[Rosterman]

In the greater mix, the Twins go a piece to move a higher price piece so they could invest in a higher-yet piece.

 

Garver would not have found a place in the Twins lineup or behind-the-plate. So he neded up being a luxury piece to be moved for someone, anyone, and to save additional bucks.

Henriquez was someone that the Rangers didn't want to protect, and the Twins came up short as his options expired before he had a chance to really prove himself. Although young, he ended up being passed by others.

[gil4]

Knowing what we know now, I'd make the trade again.  The Rangers probably would, too.   

 

[Parfigliano]

2 hours ago, Rosterman said:

In the greater mix, the Twins go a piece to move a higher price piece so they could invest in a higher-yet piece.

 

Garver would not have found a place in the Twins lineup or behind-the-plate. So he neded up being a luxury piece to be moved for someone, anyone, and to save additional bucks.

Henriquez was someone that the Rangers didn't want to protect, and the Twins came up short as his options expired before he had a chance to really prove himself. Although young, he ended up being passed by others.

I think TC is going to regret losing Henriquez

[DocBauer]

Unless Correa suddenly fades...and there's no reason to expect that to happen despite the plantar issues the past 2yrs...the Twins win in any scenario. The deal looks even better if Henriquez had turned out.

Donaldson did little with the Yankees. The Twins kept the best of 3 rostered catchers. No offense to Garver, but he only caught 42 games for Texas and had 2/3 of a good season with the bat. He was part of a WS team and certainly helped. But his 19 HR.and 50 RBI didn't exactly lead the Rangers to the promised land. 

[mikelink45]

To many connections and assumptions.  We got rid of Donaldson - if the trade did not happen could we have dumped him?  Who knows.  We have a linear path in this essay, but I do not think that is always the best solution.  Did we win the trade?  No. Texas got what it wanted and they got a WS title - and that is the ultimate goal of all maneuvers.  

If you stretch - like you did - and make Correa the final answer - we still do not have a WS title with him.  I like him, but this analysis is fun speculation, but is not an accurate and final summary. 

[Whitey333]

Interesting thoughts.  I think the trade is a wash at best.  Texas won a world series so good for them.  You mention the Twins in their "winning window."  What winning windows?  They have missed the playoffs 3 of the past 4 years.  Last year they choked away their chances.  

[ToddlerHarmon]

Not really going to disagree with any of the comments here, except this:

Winning it all is worth an awful lot. It is worth taking outsized steps to get players with the skills to perform in the playoffs, which Garver showed. What Texas did is exactly what I would want the Twins to do if it turns out we are one elite bat from contention. And the cost to them was well-contained.

Can't say the Twins lost this trade, but a championship says Texas won it.

[Otaknam]

Good for Mitch having a World Series ring. But the ability to dump toxic Donaldson was worth the trade. 

[jmlease1]

IKF has been on an interesting run as the somewhat forgetting piece of this. excepting for half a season in Toronto, he's been generating his value on the defensive side, but has been quite good there. As long as he gets to stay on the dirt, he's a useful player, but the Yankees in 2023 thought throwing him in the OF was the best decision. whoops.

I think the rangers are ok with the way things turned out, but expected more from Garver. I think the Twins are fine with the way things went, because we'd much rather have Correa than Donaldson, and prefer even with the injuries to have Correa over IKF. I'd say it didn't work out all that well for the Yankees in the end. what a shame...

[Riverbrian]

I believe that the shedding of the financial commitment to Donaldson allowed the Twins to make a financial commitment to Carlos Correa. 

With that consideration... It was a good trade for the Twins.

Although at the time... I admit that I did not like the trade of Garver for IFK by itself.

It wasn't until soon after when IFK was moved to the Yankees that I felt good about the trade and I still feel good about the trade. 

Donaldson, Garver, Rortvedt for Correa, Urshela, Sanchez and Rodriquez was a good deal.  

[Trov]

Overall it was a win win deal for both sides.  Garver gave a short term boost to Texas, and we used what we got to dump Donaldson and sign CC, which led to us signing him long term. This is a hard trade to look at head to head as we really got no direct value from the trade heads up, but it led to value. Without making the deal, unless we could have made one elsewhere, we most likely do not get to dump Donaldson. 

[purplesoldier4u]

... and Ronny Henriquez is still doing okay.