Tigers' Framber Valdez Suspended by MLB for Throwing at Red Sox's Trevor Story

Detroit Tigers pitcher Framber Valdez has been suspended by MLB for hitting Trevor Story with a pitch in Tuesday's 10-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

Valdez will miss six games as part of his suspension. Detroit manager A.J. Hinch was also suspended for Wednesday's game.

The incident occurred in the fourth inning after Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu led off the frame with back-to-back homers.

Valdez's first pitch to Story was a 94 mph fastball that hit the Red Sox shortstop in the back. Story started mouthing something in the direction of Valdez on the mound, leading to both benches clearing and the Tigers left-hander being ejected from the game.

Hinch didn't make it sound like he was happy with the situation, though he stopped short of criticizing Valdez because he couldn't judge the intent in the moment:

"We play a really good brand of baseball here. That didn't feel like it. 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."

Valdez allowed 10 runs (seven earned) on nine hits in three innings prior to being ejected. It was his shortest outing since April 2022. His seven earned runs allowed were his second-most in a game this season, behind only the eight runs he gave up against the Minnesota Twins on April 8.

Losing Valdez for any length of the time is particularly crushing to the Tigers right now. It was announced on Monday that Tarik Skubal needed surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow.

There was no official timetable announced for Skubal's return, but the expectation is he will be back before the end of the regular season. Jackson Jobe, Justin Verlander, Casey Mize, Troy Melton and Reese Olson are other Tigers pitchers currently on the injured list.

Valdez joined the Tigers in the offseason after signing a four-year, $115 million contract in free agency. His 4.57 ERA is inflated because of those two really bad starts, otherwise he has been fine with two earned runs or fewer in his other six outings.

The Tigers have had an inconsistent start to the season. They enter play on Wednesday in a tie with the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the AL Central, but both clubs are under .500 with 18-19 records.