Future of Twins TV broadcasts set to be decided at bankruptcy hearing

HOUSTON — Bally Sports San Diego will no longer televise Padres games, the team announced Tuesday. The Twins may learn Wednesday whether their games will remain on Bally Sports North.

A federal bankruptcy judge will hear arguments Wednesday morning in a lawsuit filed by the Twins, Guardians, Diamondbacks, Rangers and MLB against Diamond Sports Group, the owner of regional sports networks that carry the games of 14 different MLB teams. The suit seeks to force Diamond Sports to live up to the terms of their contracts with those teams, after their networks missed rights-fee payments due on April 1.

Diamond Sports, owned by Sinclair Broadcasting, filed for bankruptcy protection in February, but kept airing games of the teams under contract, including the Twins. Bally Sports North later paid 75% of the money owed, but the teams want full payment — or their contracts terminated. MLB has said it is prepared to take over responsibility for broadcasting games, as it will do beginning Wednesday for the Padres.

For the Twins, the dispute is only a temporary one, since their contract with BSN ends in October and the team is believed to be investigating other options. But the team is paid more than $40 million annually for its rights, so the money at stake is substantial.

The four teams are asking Judge Christopher Lopez, who is expected to rule on Wednesday or Thursday, to order Diamond Sports to pay the full amount they originally agreed to, or terminate the contracts and return broadcast rights to the individual teams. Should that happen, MLB would step in and televise Twins games on other cable and satellite channels and streaming services, including MLB.tv.

That's what happened in San Diego on Tuesday, when Diamond Sports announced it would not continue paying the Padres under a 20-year contract worth $1.2 billion that lasts until 2032, a deal the broadcaster says is a money-loser. In response, MLB reclaimed the team's broadcast rights and will begin airing Padres games on Wednesday, using current announcers Don Orsillo and Mark Grant, who are team employees.

Vázquez gets his ring

Christian Vázquez was a member of the Astros for only three months, but they were memorable ones. He helped them clinch the AL West title, played in his second World Series, and even caught a World Series no-hitter.

And on Tuesday, he realized one more benefit.

Astros manager Dusty Baker presented Vázquez with his World Series ring at home plate shortly before the game, a nice souvenir of a championship run.

"It's very special. It's my second ring," said the Twins' catcher, who won the 2018 World Series with the Red Sox. "That's a dream for every player in MLB, to win a World Series. So I'm lucky and very blessed."

Vazquez's wife, Gabriella, and sons Diego and Daniel were with him during the brief ceremony and watched him try on the gigantic diamond-studded ring. He wants his Twins teammates to get a look at it, too.

"I want everybody to put it on their fingers so it can motivate everyone to win here," Vázquez said. "I want a third one. We have a special group here, and I think we can do it."

Maeda effective in start

Kenta Maeda struck out four of the seven batters he faced Tuesday over two hitless innings, his first rehab-assignment start for Class AAA St. Paul as he returns from a strained right triceps he suffered in April.

Maeda also walked one batter and recorded two fly outs in the 29-pitch performance in Buffalo, N.Y. His fastball topped out at 91 mph.

Caleb Thielbar, on his own rehab assignment from a right oblique strain, relieved Maeda and needed only eight pitches in his inning of work, allowing a single and striking out one.

Thielbar will pitch again for the Saints on Thursday, while Maeda will start again in Buffalo on Sunday. Both are eligible to come off the injured list when the Twins determine they are ready.

Matt Wallner, optioned to St. Paul on Monday, doubled, tripled and hit a 425-foot home run in his first game back at Class AAA, driving in four runs and helping the Saints rout the Bison, 9-1. Mark Contreras went 3-for-5 for the Saints, and Brent Headrick allowed only one run over five innings after Maeda and Thielbar were done.