MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Detroit outfielder JaCoby Jones said he felt lucky a day after being hit in the face by a pitch that later sparked a benches-clearing tussle between the Tigers and Minnesota Twins.
Jones was taken to the hospital Saturday after getting a scare when a pitch from Twins reliever Justin Haley left him bloodied and a little dazed. He needed nine stitches in his lip, but said he was still able to have dinner that night. Jones said he would have a few more tests when the team returned to Detroit but experienced no signs of a concussion.
“It could’ve knocked out all my teeth or struck me square in the eye,” Jones said Sunday. “I am lucky it hit me in my big lip and just made it bigger. It’s all good.”
Jones was placed on the 10-day disabled list, as was Haley with tendinitis in his right biceps.
Tigers starter Matthew Boyd was ejected later in the game after throwing behind Twins slugger Miguel Sano, who got into a shoving match with catcher James McCann as both benches cleared.
Sano was also ejected, but Twins manager Paul Molitor said on Sunday morning that he did not expect any hard feelings to linger between the two teams.
The injury-ravaged Tigers recalled outfielder Jim Adduci from Triple-A Toledo to fill in for Jones.
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