Twins Bolster Their Bullpen, Acquire Jones from Tigers

The Minnesota Twins, looking for a boost in the bullpen to help their surprising playoff run, acquired reliever Todd Jones from the Detroit Tigers on Saturday for pitcher Mark Redman.

“We need some immediate help,” Minnesota General Manager Terry Ryan said. “This is a situation where we have a chance to win and we want to take it.”

The Twins, who lost, 5-1, at Seattle on Saturday, led the American League Central by five games at the All-Star break, but they have since faded to fall behind first-place Cleveland.

Minnesota has relied on speed, defense and solid starting pitching, but the Twins wanted more depth in their bullpen. Jones tied for the AL lead with 42 saves last season.

Jones, who will join the Twins in Toronto on Tuesday, was hoping to be dealt to a contender before the trade deadline, but when it happened, it was still a shock.

“This team and this city have touched my heart,” Jones said. “But the time has come to move on, and I’m excited, at the age of 33, to get a shot at the postseason with Minnesota.”

Jones lost his closer’s job to Matt Anderson early this year. Jones is 4-5 with 11 saves and a 4.62 earned-run average.

Redman went 12-9 for the Twins as a rookie in 2000, but has started only nine games this season (2-4, 4.22 ERA) because of a strained triceps. The Tigers hope to have the left-hander in their rotation within two to three weeks.

“I don’t see this as a major risk--this isn’t an elbow or shoulder injury, it is a triceps,” Tiger General Manager Randy Smith said. “I’m happy that we could go to a team that is in a pennant race and get the guy who was their third starter at the end of last season.”

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Indian outfielder Juan Gonzalez is day to day after straining his left hamstring in the second game of a doubleheader against the Tigers on Saturday.

Gonzalez, who hit a key homer in Cleveland’s 6-4 victory in the opener, injured himself trying to beat out a grounder to third base.

“He hurt himself on that grounder, and I didn’t want to take any chances with him,” Indian Manager Charlie Manuel said. “So we got him out of the game. I’ll talk to him about it in the morning.”

The Indians’ training staff examined Gonzalez and found no serious injury. His return to the lineup is uncertain.

Gonzalez’s departure was greeted with cheers from Comerica Park fans, who have booed him regularly since he left Detroit for Cleveland during the off-season.

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The Boston Red Sox optioned infielder Lou Merloni to triple-A Pawtucket, and although there was no official word from the team, the move opens a roster spot for shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, who could be activated today. The Red Sox also activated outfielder Carl Everett and sent right-handers Tomo Ohka and Frank Castillo to Pawtucket. . . . Cleveland pitcher Bartolo Colon dropped the appeal of his six-game suspension and began serving it Saturday. Colon was given the suspension, which was originally seven games, for throwing over the head of Houston’s Scott Servais on July 17. . . . Outfielder Magglio Ordonez (three years, $29.5 million) and reliever Bob Howry (two years, $3 million) agreed to multiyear contract extensions with the Chicago White Sox. . . . The Pittsburgh Pirates purchased the contract of pitcher Marc Wilkins from triple-A Nashville and optioned pitcher Bronson Arroyo back to Nashville after he started the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. . . . The Houston Astros recalled Tony McKnight from triple-A New Orleans and optioned right-handed reliever Jim Mann to New Orleans. . . . The New York Mets recalled right-hander Grant Roberts from triple-A Norfolk.