Grudge match? Cal Quantrill starts against Twins tonight after kerfuffle in Cleveland

Quantrill and Twins first baseman Miguel Sano exchanged words during Thursday's meeting between the teams.

September 15, 2021 at 8:04PM
Cal Quantrill delivered a pitch against the Twins on Thursday in Cleveland. (Tony Dejak, Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Cal Quantrill had a strong outing Thursday in Cleveland as the Indians beat the Twins 4-1, and he'll start again today at Target Field (6:40 p.m., BSN) when the teams meet after splitting a doubleheader Tuesday.

Thursday's game might have some carryover. Quantrill and Miguel Sano exchanged words in the sixth inning when Quantrill was unhappy over Josh Donaldson swinging at a 3-0 pitch.

Twins bench coach Bill Evers, acting as manager while Rocco Baldelli was on paternity leave for that game, went old-school postgame by saying about Quantrill, "He should be happy he's getting guys out rather than mouthing off to them. That's my personal opinion."

Said Quantrill, "I think he just didn't like something I must of said earlier in the game ... whatever."

According to cleveland.com, after Donaldson ended the the sixth inning by grounding out on a 3-0 pitch, Quantrill told him, "Nice 3-0 swing." In the seventh, when Sano came to the plate, he told Quantrill, "Why don't you say that to his face?" Quantrill replied, "I did."

"The fact that they care enough to say something is good," said Quantrill. "We're playing meaningful baseball. At least I think everyone on the field cared about today's game."

The Twins won three of four in that road series and are 11-7 against Cleveland entering the teams' final meeting of the season.

Quantrill is 5-3 with a 3.04 ERA. He'll face rookie righthander Griffin Jax (3-3, 6.72).

BTW, after yesterday's injury scare, Twins rookie starter Joe Ryan is no worse for the wear today and might not even miss his next start, manager Rocco Baldelli said.

Nick Gordon is playing shortstop today for the Twins, with Jake Cave starting in left field against the righthander Quantrill.

TWINS LINEUP

Luis Arraez, 3B

Byron Buxton, CF

Jorge Polanco, 2B

Josh Donaldson, DH

Max Kepler, RF

Miguel Sano, 1B

Nick Gordon, SS

Ryan Jeffers, C

Jake Cave, LF

CLEVELAND LINEUP

Myles Straw, CF

Bradley Zimmer, RF

Jose Ramirez, 3B

Franmil Reyes, DH

Bobby Bradley, 1B

Yu Chang, 2B

Austin Hedges, C

Andres Gimenez, SS

Oscar Mercado, LF

about the writer

about the writer

Chris Miller

Editor

Chris Miller supervises coverage of professional sports teams. He has been at the Minnesota Star Tribune since 1999 and is a former sports editor of the Duluth News-Tribune and the Mesabi Daily News.

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