Trade Retrospective: Evaluating the Mitch Garver Deal

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.