Detroit Tigers pitcher Framber Valdez was given a six-game suspension for intentionally throwing at Boston Red Sox hitter Trevor Story in their game on Tuesday, Major League Baseball announced Wednesday.
Valdez also received an undisclosed fine, and Tigers manager A.J. Hinch has also received a one-game suspension - which he will serve in Wednesday’s game.
The incident occurred in the fourth inning of the eventual blowout win for the Red Sox. After Valdez had served up home runs to consecutive batters to extend Boston’s lead to 10-2, he plunked Story with the next pitch - prompting the benches to empty in a tense moment on the field.
Valdez was immediately ejected from the game by the home plate umpire, and no punches were thrown.
After the game, Valdez claimed there was no intent behind the pitch that plunked Story on his shoulder.
“It was not intentional,” Valdez said through an interpreter. “It might look like it, but it wasn’t. I was trying to throw strikes after the two consecutive home runs. I was trying to go back in the zone and that pitch came out of my hand.”
Hinch was not so forgiving to his star pitcher, who is in the first season of a three-year, $115 million deal signed in February after he spent eight seasons with the Houston Astros.
“We play a really good brand of baseball here. That [pitch] didn’t feel like it,” said the Detroit manager after the game. “It’s not judging intent; I have no idea. But I know when you go out on the field and you end up sort of in those confrontations, you usually feel like you’re in your right. And it didn’t feel good being out there.
“So I understand their frustrations. I understand the moment, and it was a low moment of a frustrating night.”
The outing spiked Valdez’ earned-run average on the season to 4.57 in what has been an uninspiring start to his Tigers career.
Per Statcast, that pitch Valdez threw that hit Story was a four-seam fastball - the only such pitch Valdez, a pitcher who relies primarily on a sinker, has thrown all year.
