Texas Rangers End 10-Year ESPN Sunday Night Baseball Drought
ARLINGTON, Texas — When the Texas Rangers face the Philadelphia Phillies in the finale of a three-game series, it will mark the end of a decade-long drought for the club hosting an ESPN Sunday Night Baseball broadcast.
Martín Pérez is taking the hill for the Rangers in his first start of the season. Texas is looking to sweep with the series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:08 p.m. CT.
The Rangers have not hosted an ESPN Sunday Night game since May 19, 2013 against the Detroit Tigers. That night the Rangers lost 11-8, as Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera hit three home runs.
That game was at the old Globe Life Park. Sunday’s game will be the first SNB broadcast at Globe Life Field.
The Phillies are the defending National League champions, which certainly helped ESPN's decision-making process. The network also showed the Houston Astros’ home opener on Thursday. Houston won the World Series over the Phillies.
Still, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy knows its an opportunity to showcase his team, which is off to a 2-0 start and has scored 27 runs against the Phillies. However, Bochy wasn’t aware of the drought until Sunday.
“It’s pretty cool that we’re on,” Bochy said. “You know we’re playing the National League champions, so they’re being honored with it being a Sunday night game. But hopefully we’ll get to a point where we’re gonna be playing in more of these games.”
While it’s been 10 years since the Rangers hosted a SNB game, it’s been five years since they appeared on the broadcast. On April 15, 2018, the Rangers were at the Astros. Texas starter Bartolo Colon took a perfect game into the eighth inning, as the Rangers on won 3-1 in 10 innings.
The Rangers’ only other scheduled appearance on ESPN is another Sunday game — April 16 at Houston.
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