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Molitor 'wasn't disappointed' with Sano's reaction to near-HBP

Andy King / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Though he knows a suspension is a possibility, Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor said he "wasn't disappointed" with how Miguel Sano reacted after Detroit Tigers left-hander Matt Boyd threw behind him, sparking a benches-clearing incident, in Saturday's tense affair at Target Field.

In the bottom of the fifth, a couple innings after Tigers rookie JaCoby Jones was hit in the face by a pitch from Justin Haley, an incensed Sano pointed his finger at Boyd and started walking toward the mound after the 26-year-old threw a pitch behind him in a presumed gesture of retaliation. Home-plate umpire Jordan Baker quickly jumped in to intercede, but so did Tigers catcher James McCann, who appeared to hit Sano in his face with his glove in the process, and for that earned a hard shove from the 6-foot-4, 260-pound slugger.

"There seemed to be some contact initiated by McCann," Molitor told reporters, including MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger, following his club's 5-4 loss. "I don't think Miggy likes someone putting their hands on him very much."

Sano was ejected, as was Boyd, but McCann was allowed to stay in the game. Though McCann said after the game he wasn't sure if he initiated the contact with Sano, he was unapologetic about stepping in to defend Boyd.

"I saw him wag his finger at my pitcher, and as far as I'm concerned, you're not going to do that while I'm catching," he said.

McCann also denied that Boyd threw at Sano intentionally.

"I think we were just trying to pitch in right there," McCann said. "Must have gotten away from him."

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