Twins' Gray used Wes Johnson's departure as motivation in strong outing

Minnesota Twins right-hander Sonny Gray recorded one of his best games of the season Monday after finding out that pitching coach Wes Johnson is leaving the team to take the same job at LSU.

Gray didn't surrender a run on three hits over seven innings against the Cleveland Guardians.

"It's someone who I've become really close with," Gray said postgame, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. "If you know me at all, letting people in and getting into relationships in that respect, I put my guard up a lot. Wes is someone who was in.

"I was mad at him a lot today. I was happy for him a lot today. I used every emotion and everything that (I) kind of was going through and kind of used it to pour it into the game. But overall, I'm happy for him if this is what he wants, and this is something (that) is going to be best for him and his family moving forward. ... I'm going to miss him a lot."

Johnson will remain with the Twins through Thursday's game against the Guardians before being replaced. He joined Minnesota in 2019.