ARLINGTON -- The Twins will appeal the one-game suspension Major League Baseball imposed on third baseman Miguel Sano for his aggressive actions in Saturday's game against the Tigers in Detroit.
Sano and Tigers pitcher Matthew Boyd were tossed from the game after Boyd threw a pitch behind Sano. Twins pitcher Justin Haley had previously hit Tigers center fielder JaCoby Jones in the face with a fastball. Sano took issue with Boyd's pitch, walking toward the mound and pointing at Boyd before Tigers catcher James McCann stepped between Sano and the mound. Sano shoved McCann and the benches cleared.
Boyd received an undisclosed fine that was announced Monday, shortly after Twins manager Molitor said the Twins would challenge Sano's suspension.
"We feel the proper response is to appeal," Molitor said. "We feel we have a fairly legitimate case as to why they should at least consider reducing that."
"It makes me happy that they'd support me that way," Sano said. "It [stinks] that I'm being suspended, but it's part of the deal. It's in MLB's hands, and they'll take care of it. It did surprise me a little. I didn't think there was going to be a suspension, but that's part of the game, I guess. … In my head, I didn't do anything wrong, so we'll see what happens."
Sano was in the lineup against the Rangers on Monday for the opener of a three-game series. He's batting .241 with four home runs and 14 RBIs in 18 games this season for Minnesota after hitting a career-high 25 homers last season.