Heading into the winter March, the Yankees had two major weaknesses they needed to correct: their hitting and defense. When Brian Cashman flipped Gio Urshela and Gary Sánchez to the Minnesota Twins for Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and (theoretically) Ben Rortvedt, he was clearly attempting to at least in part achieve both simultaneously. Donaldson had been one of the best and most consistent hitters of the last decade, while IKF was at worst a serviceable shortstop and at best an effective one.
For the most part, the trade has gone about as advertised. Splitting time between third base and the DH spot, Donaldson had been one of the most consistent hitters in the lineup, and it is no coincidence that the team has struggled at the plate since he hit the COVID-IL last Monday (the Yankees have a 76 wRC+ in that span).