Twins acquire Michael A. Taylor from Royals

The Minnesota Twins continued their busy offseason, acquiring outfielder Michael A. Taylor from the Kansas City Royals for pitching prospects Evan Sisk and Steven Cruz, the clubs announced Monday.

The Twins designated right-hander A.J. Alexy for assignment to make room for Taylor on the 40-man roster.

Kansas City and Minnesota discussed a trade for Taylor last week but failed to gain traction, as the Twins balked at including right-hander Josh Winder, according to The Athletic's Dan Hayes.

Taylor, 31, slashed .254/.313/.357 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs across 124 games with the Royals last season.

The veteran outfielder spent his first seven seasons with the Washington Nationals, helping the club win a World Series in 2019.

Taylor has earned a reputation as one of the game's premier defensive center fielders, winning a Gold Glove with the Royals in 2021.

He will provide Twins manager Rocco Baldelli with another outfield option to complement Byron Buxton, Joey Gallo, and Max Kepler.

Sisk posted strong numbers across two minor-league levels in 2021. The 25-year-old registered a 5-1 record with a sparkling 1.57 ERA and 76 strikeouts across 63 innings.

Cruz, 23, struggled at Double-A, going 1-4 with a 5.14 ERA and 72 strikeouts across 56 innings.