Twins' Miguel Sano will not face charges in alleged kidnapping

Minnesota Twins infielder Miguel Sano will not face charges in his native Dominican Republic in a bizarre case involving an alleged kidnapping, according to La Velle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune.

A prosecutor heard evidence Thursday and declined to file charges against Sano, which the Twins organization has since confirmed.

Odalis Ramos, an attorney in Sano’s hometown, released video last week in which he accused the Twins star of kidnapping his client, Raudy Omar Sanchez de la Cruz. Ramos claimed in the video that Sano and his accomplices beat and threatened to hang de la Cruz on May 6.

Sano responded to the accusations by claiming that de la Cruz was involved in an alleged sexual assault of his young stepbrother. Further, Sano also stated that he was being blackmailed. Sano told Dominican newspaper El Nuevo Diario that Ramos demanded 10 million pesos ($170,000) to drop the accusations.

“They are looking for money,” Sano told El Nuevo Diario sports editor William Aish, per the Star Tribune. Sano said he didn’t go to the prosecutor’s office because the request came too late for him to act, adding he would sue Ramos for $500,000.

Sano signed a three-year, $30 million extension with the Twins this past offseason. The slugger is expected to move from third base to second base to accommodate the arrival of Josh Donaldson.