Rangers trade Kiner-Falefa to Twins for Garver
The Texas Rangers traded shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and pitching prospect Ronny Henriquez to the Minnesota Twins for catcher Mitch Garver, Rangers executive vice president of public affairs John Blake announced Saturday.
Kiner-Falefa, a Gold Glove winner in 2020, hit eight home runs with 20 stolen bases and a .670 OPS over 158 games with Texas last season. The 26-year-old is projected to take over at short for Andrelton Simmons, who reportedly joined the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
"I was just really happy for the opportunity to play shortstop every day, the opportunity to come to a new team, and the best part about this whole situation is the Twins want me. I want to be somewhere a team wants me," Kiner-Falefa said, according to Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Garver joins the Rangers after going deep 13 times with an .875 OPS over 68 contests during an injury-riddled 2021 campaign for the Twins. The 31-year-old won a Silver Slugger in 2019 after slashing .273/.365/.630 with 31 round-trippers and 67 RBIs in just 93 games.
Henriquez, 21, posted a 4.71 ERA with a 10.1 K/9 across two minor-league levels last season.