Twins’ Rocco Baldelli ejected after interesting mound-visit ruling

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Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli is quickly becoming must-watch television. 

Just a few weeks after blasting the replay crew in New York for overturning a call on the field, Baldelli was ejected from Tuesday’s game against the Houston Astros after a strange mound-visit ruling. 

Rocco Baldelli #5 of the Minnesota Twins argues a call with umpire Todd Tichenor #13 on removing pitcher Aaron Sanchez #43 during the fifth inning at Minute Maid Park on Aug. 23, 2022 in Houston, Texas.  (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Baldelli was ejected in the fifth inning after arguing with umpires that he should not have been charged with a mound visit in the fifth inning after the benches cleared. 

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Twins pitcher starter Aaron Sanchez grazed Jose Altuve in the bottom of the fifth, causing Altuve and Sanchez to exchange a few words. As is typical in baseball, both benches made their way onto the field, including Baldelli, who told reporters after the game that he simply asked Sanchez if he was OK. 

Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros backs off the plate during the seventh inning against the Minnesota Twins at Minute Maid Park on Aug. 23, 2022 in Houston, Texas.  (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

That was apparently enough for the umpires to charge the Twins with a mound visit, meaning that the Twins would have to remove Sanchez from the game if another mound visit occurred in the inning. 

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"Rocco went past the mound and looked at me and said, 'Are you good?' I said, 'I'm good,' and that was the end of the conversation," Sanchez said, according to the Star Tribune. "It wasn't like he really stopped. I don't see how you can call it a mound visit when you still have 35 other people on the field."

Twins pitching coach Pete Maki made a mound visit after Sanchez walked Yuli Gurriel on four pitches, and the umpires informed the Twins that Sanchez must be removed from the game, per MLB’s mound visit rule. 

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Baldelli, unaware that he had been charged with a mound visit when walking onto the field during the fifth inning ruckus, was not pleased and was ejected from the game.

After the game, Baldelli said that he was upset with the lack of communication, telling reporters that he was not informed that he had been charged with a mound visit. 

"At the bare minimum I think there’s probably it’s necessary for someone to come over and let us know that a visit was given," Baldelli said. "So that’s it. I disagreed and I disagreed on multiple levels."

Rocco Baldelli #5 of the Minnesota Twins argues a call with umpire Todd Tichenor #13 on removing pitcher Aaron Sanchez #43 during the fifth inning at Minute Maid Park on Aug. 23, 2022 in Houston, Texas.  (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

First base umpire Todd Tichenor, who ejected Baldelli, said that a mound visit was signaled by the home plate umpire.

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"The mound visit constitutes the manager going on top of the mound and talking to the pitcher. That’s a visit. Or a coach," Tichenor said. "That’s a visit."

The Twins lost 4-2, their fourth consecutive loss, dropping Minnesota to 62-59 on the season.  

The Associated Press contributed to this report.