Twins to play on ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ for first time in nearly five years

The Twins, for the first time in almost five years, are moving to Sunday night prime time.

ESPN announced it was picking up the Twins’ road game against the Detroit Tigers for “Sunday Night Baseball” on June 29 at Comerica Park. It is a matchup between the two top teams in the AL Central standings, though Detroit possesses an eight-game lead in the division.

It’s the first time the Twins will be televised on the marquee national game of the week since Sept. 20, 2020, when they played the Chicago Cubs. The Twins won 4-0, with six scoreless innings from José Berríos while Max Kepler delivered three hits and three RBI.

The game’s broadcasters will be Karl Ravech, Edouardo Pérez, David Cone and Buster Olney.

Jorge Alcala, who pitched out of the Twins bullpen 166 times since 2019, was traded to the Red Sox shortly after the Twins’ 6-2 victory Wednesday over Texas.

He went around the clubhouse offering his goodbyes to teammates and staffers.

“It’s sad,” said Twins closer Jhoan Duran, whose locker was next to Alcala’s. “He’s a guy that I talked to every single day. We played catch together. We did a lot of things together. He was crying a little bit yesterday, and me too, because it means so much.”

It was apparent the Twins needed to make a roster move with Alcala when they claimed lefthanded reliever Joey Wentz off waivers Wednesday from Pittsburgh. Alcala, 29, gave up 29 hits (five homers), 24 earned runs and 15 walks in 24⅓ innings (8.88 ERA).

In return, the Twins received corner infielder Andy Lugo from the Red Sox, a 21-year-old Dominican who was batting .265 at High-Class A Greenville with four homers and 20 RBI in 44 games. Boston assumed the prorated remainder of Alcala’s $1.5 million salary.

Duran and Alcala both joined the Twins organization through separate trades on July 27, 2018 — Duran from Arizona for Eduardo Escobar, Alcala from Houston with Gilberto Celestino for Ryan Pressly. Duran debuted in 2022, and he credits Alcala for helping him early in his big-league career. They remained close through subsequent seasons, often eating pregame meals together.

“This is a great chance for him in his career, so it’s good,” Duran said. “He helped me a lot, and I helped him a lot, too. He understands English, though he doesn’t speak English. But I understand English, and I speak English, so I tried to help him in that spot. He tried to help me when I got here, my first year, to be a good rookie. He told me everything I need to do to be good here and be in a good spot.”

Pitching in a game for the first time in 16 days, Wentz gave up two runs on two hits and three walks in his Twins debut Thursday. He recorded three outs during the team’s 16-3 loss to Texas.

“I didn’t expect him to have to throw [38] pitches for us because it’s been a little while since he’s taken the mound,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “I think [Friday] will be a good day to sit back, assess, spend some time talking with him and spend some time with the pitching coaches and go over some things.

“He’s a promising young guy, and I’m looking forward to watching him throw more.”

Wentz, a 27-year-old lefty who played with Kody Clemens and Willi Castro in Detroit, is in his second season as a full-time reliever. The chance to join a winning team, he said, was exciting after the Pirates designated him for assignment.

“When I found out I was coming here, that was something I was pretty pumped about,” he said. “Playing against the Twins, it’s a lot of the same guys it seems like from last year and the year before. Seems like really good leadership. Everybody comes prepared. Just try to play my role and help out any way I can.”

• The Twins gave up 34 runs in their three games against the Rangers, the most runs they have surrendered in a three-game series since giving up 35 runs to the Chicago Cubs from June 29 to July 1, 2018.

• Andrew Morris gave up six runs on five hits and four walks in 5⅔ innings as the Saints lost at Indianapolis 6-2 to open a doubleheader. In the second game, Randy Dobnak gave up four runs (three earned) in three innings in a 5-0 loss.