Tigers' Jimenez: Twins' Sano lied about me telling him to 'get the f--- out'

Warning: Story contains coarse language

Detroit Tigers reliever Joe Jimenez was confused as to why Minnesota Twins slugger Miguel Sano admired a home run after taking the right-hander deep Saturday.

The Twins first baseman said postgame that the bad blood dates back to August 2019 when Jimenez apparently told him to "get the fuck out of here" after striking him out to end a contest, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. However, Jimenez disputes Sano's account.

"That was a lie," Jimenez said Sunday, according to Jason Beck of MLB.com. "I didn't do it personal. I didn't do it to affect him. I'm not doing good. I'm not going to pimp a strikeout in a big situation to let them know I did something."

Jimenez added that he always says the same thing in Spanish when he records a strikeout.

"I'm going to say this: I never, ever have said something to a hitter," the 25-year-old hurler said, according to Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. "It's just stupid that he thinks that. We speak the same language. He knows what I say every time I strike out somebody in a big situation. It's, 'Vamos cono!' It's like, 'Let's go!' you know?"

The two division rivals play each other Sunday and Monday.