Byron Buxton's all-around effort leads Twins over Rangers; Jorge Alcala traded to Red Sox

New York Times

a day ago

MINNEAPOLIS — Byron Buxton achieved 'big boy' status in the third inning.
In both halves of the inning, the dynamic Twins outfielder demonstrated his full capabilities when healthy, first with a run-saving, diving catch, then as he walloped a mammoth home run, the longest of his career and second furthest hit in the majors this season.
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Buxton's outstanding all-around game, David Festa's recovery and a late offensive outburst highlighted by Willi Castro's two-run triple propelled the Twins to a 6-2 victory over the Texas Rangers in front of 18,904 at Target Field.
Buxton, who blasted a three-run, go-ahead homer, which traveled 479 feet, finished 3-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base as the Twins improved to 36-31. Buxton, whose homer traveled to a part of the park previously reached by former Twins, the likes of Miguel Saño and Kennys Vargas, leads all major-league center fielders with an .857 OPS.
BYRON BUXTON!!! 479 FEET!!!!! 🤯
(make him an All-Star: https://t.co/sw89IiBAr4) pic.twitter.com/BZOFoUVVgh
— Twins.TV (@twinstv) June 12, 2025
'I knew that was a good one,' Buxton laughed. 'I ain't going to lie. I knew that was a good one. It's weird. My last (long homer) was off a slider, too. I don't hit fastballs far, but I can hit a slider. … That's big boy status. That's exactly how far I can hit it right there.'
Buxton was far happier with his catch, one which prevented Texas from taking a big early lead a night after it routed the Twins. Already ahead 2-0 with two on and two outs, Marcus Semien, who earlier hit a solo homer, ripped a 97 mph liner toward the gap in left-center off Festa.
But as he's done so many times before, Buxton soared toward the ball, dove and hauled it in as he safely tumbled to the ground.
'It caught me by surprise when he caught that because I knew it was hit right between us,' Castro said. 'It was a hell of a play.'
You know where we heard is a good place to spend the All-Star break for guys that make catches like this?
ATLANTA
Get him there: https://t.co/JigNJ4kZOb pic.twitter.com/LrC0zzOef0
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) June 12, 2025
Buxton matched the impact with his bat a few minutes later.
Facing outstanding rookie Jack Leiter, the Twins finally got something going in the third. Brooks Lee extended his career-high hitting streak to 11 games with a leadoff double and Christian Vázquez followed with a walk to bring up Buxton, who was walked in his first trip to the plate.
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After fouling off a 2-2 fastball to stay alive, Buxton got all of a slider off the outside edge, hammering it off the stairs of the second deck in dead center field. Mike Trout's 484-foot blast hit in April is the only homer to travel further this season.
'There are a few homers that you remember,' Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. 'That one will stick.'
Buxton nearly made more memories if not for a potential missed call at the plate by umpire Ryan Wills. With the Twins leading 3-2 in the fifth inning, Buxton doubled to left and advanced to third on a fly ball to deep right. Buxton then appeared to score on a grounder hit directly at first baseman Josh Smith, who was playing in and made a perfect throw home, only for Wills to call him out. The Twins immediately challenged the call, and replay officials determined the call stood and Buxton was out.
Buxton joked he'd review the replay because he thought he was safe. But with the knowledge he shifted the game's momentum and, more importantly, a win secured, Buxton was in a good mood.
'Especially with saving the runs and immediately putting something on the board,' he said. 'That deflates you very quickly.'
Jorge Alcala's Twins tenure ended after the team's victory.
The team announced Alcala was traded to the Boston Red Sox for 21-year-old High-A outfielder Andy Lugo late Wednesday. A team source confirmed no cash was included in a deal which was set in motion earlier in the day when the Twins claimed left-hander Joey Wentz off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Though the Twins made space on the 40-man roster by transferring Pablo López to the 60-day injured list, they still needed to make space on the active roster for Wentz, who is expected to be activated for Thursday's game.
'(Wentz has) got good ride on the heater,' Baldelli said. 'He's got an assortment of pitches that he works with. We're excited. … It gives you an opportunity to make good adjustments and maybe even help him go beyond even anything that he's been doing to this point.'
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Acquired in a July 2018 trade that sent Ryan Pressly to Houston, Alcala never lived up to his prospect hype. A big arm capable of topping 100 mph, who debuted in 2019, Alcala struggled against left-handed hitters. Over the last 11 months, Alcala struggled against everyone, posting a 7.47 ERA with 13 home runs allowed in 47 innings.
Adding Wentz gives the Twins a second lefty to split the load with Danny Coulombe. A former Detroit Tiger, Wentz posted a 4.15 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 26 innings this season for the Pirates. Baldelli also noted Wentz's ability to pitch multiple innings as intriguing.
With the Twins clinging to a one-run lead after 4 1/2 innings, Festa's night appeared to be over. Then the Twins bats produced a three-spot as Castro laced a two-out, two-run triple and Carlos Correa followed with an RBI double.
The bullpen went silent and Festa, who appeared to be on the verge of a quick exit in the second and third innings, needed only 10 pitches to retire the heart of the Texas lineup in order. Bailed out by Buxton's diving grab in the third after he narrowly avoided surrendering a two-run homer — Smith doubled high off the wall to bring in a run instead — Festa recovered nicely.
Starting with Buxton's grab, Festa retired nine of the last 10 he faced. He even quickly erased the one batter who reached base, picking off Evan Carter after issuing a one-out walk in the fourth.
Festa allowed two earned runs and three hits, and walked two with four strikeouts in six innings.
'I felt good to go back out there,' Festa said. 'Whatever the team needed in that situation. I didn't know what the plan was. But in my situation, you're just kind of putting your head (down) and focusing until Roc takes the ball from you.'
Though he doesn't think it'll result in a trip to the injured list, Bailey Ober acknowledged knee and hip discomfort is playing a part in mechanical issues that have resulted in reduced fastball velocity.
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Set to start Thursday, Ober thinks he's cleaned up the issues that led to his fastball averaging under 90 mph in two consecutive starts, his lowest of the season. Ober worked on mechanics during a bullpen session Tuesday and thinks he's in a good place, though he'd like to feel better physically.
Ober first experienced the discomfort in spring training after a pickoff attempt and has received daily treatment to manage it, which he said is atypical. Ober's average fastball has peaked at 91 mph and is sitting at 90.4 mph for the season.
'I would like to be better, but it is what it is,' Ober said. 'It's nothing I haven't pitched through. … Felt good going into the season. I feel like my velo was OK. It was still a little down, up until two weeks ago in Seattle, but not as much as it is right now. But, yeah, it feels majority mechanical and battling the ups and downs of feeling good and not good during the season.'
(Top photo of Byron Buxton celebrating his three-run homer: Jordan Johnson / Imagn Images)