Mike Clevinger Rips Twins' Jorge Polanco Over 2018 PED Suspension in Postgame Interview
By Jerry Trotta
If you weren't fully convinced that the Cleveland Indians-Minnesota Twins rivalry is here to stay, then Saturday's narratives will surely do the trick.
Mike Clevinger was handled a rather harsh loss on the day after allowing just two earned runs while striking out 10 batters in eight innings of work. Those runs came on one swing of the bat by Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco -- a two-run jack in the third inning that broke the deadlock.
In the post-game presser, the 28-year-old right-hander did not hold back when asked about Polanco's dinger, by passive-aggressively citing his 80-game PED suspension from 2018.
Mike Clevinger indicated in his postgame press conference that he wasn't surprised by Jorge Polanco's 2-run home run (1-minute mark). "After last year are you surprised?" Polanco was suspended 80 games for PEDs in 2018. #MNTwins #Indianshttps://t.co/LpvhnRRTAa
— Dan Hayes (@DanHayesMLB) September 14, 2019
To take matters a step further, Sunshine even managed to give the wind at Progressive Field most of the credit for Polanco's homer!
It would appear that Clevy and Chulo have some long-standing beef that we weren't aware of. Earlier in the game, Minny's All-Star infielder was left befuddled in the knees by a lethal Clevinger breaking ball.
As stated earlier, Polanco got the last laugh with what proved to be the game-winning big fly.
Mike Clevinger on Jorge Polanco's 2-run HR that proved to be the only runs the Twins needed. pic.twitter.com/VoHJn1xeEO
— SportsTime Ohio (@SportsTimeOhio) September 14, 2019
With both clubs locked in a dead-heat for the AL Central crown, expect tensions to only grow more bitter in the closing weeks of the 2019 regular season.