Tigers pitcher Framber Valdez was suspended six games by MLB for “intentionally throwing” at Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story on Tuesday, the league announced.
He was also fined an undisclosed amount.
Manager A.J. Hinch was also suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount due to Valdez’s actions, and he won’t manage the series finale against Boston on Wednesday.
Valdez, 32, was ejected during the fourth inning Tuesday after plunking Story on the first pitch of an at-bat following back-to-back Boston home runs that put them up 10-2.
The Red Sox were furious and the benches cleared after Story was hit.
Valdez claimed after the game that he did not intentionally hit Story, but it seems even Hinch wasn’t buying his pitcher’s denial.
“I understand their frustration, I understand the optics, I understand the whole thing. We play a really good brand of baseball here, that didn’t feel like it,” Hinch said after the game. “That’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. 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 Tigers signed Valdez to a three-year, $115 million contract in the offseason.
A two-time All-Star, Valdez has a disappointing 4.57 ERA and 1.41 WHIP through three starts due to a pair of clunkers. His seven earned runs allowed Tuesday inflated his ERA from 3.35, and he gave up eight earned runs in five innings to the Twins on April 8.
He has five quality starts for Detroit.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
