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Framber Valdez had to wait a little while before finding a new home in free agency, but the Detroit Tigers pulled him off the market with a three-year, $115 million deal in February.
Valdez accepted a role as the Tigers' No. 2 starter behind ace Tarik Skubal, but he took the mound Tuesday night with the responsibility and pressure of being a No. 1 with Skubal set to miss at least a couple of months after arthroscopic elbow surgery. He could not take advantage of the opportunity.
Valdez not only struggled against the Red Sox, giving up 10 runs (seven earned) over three innings before being ejected after hitting Trevor Story with a pitch. Now, Valdez could face more discipline.
Here's what you need to know about the incident between Valdez and Story and how long the Tigers starter could be ejected.
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Framber Valdez hits Trevor Story
Valdez came unglued against the Red Sox on Tuesday night, giving up five runs in the third inning and opening the fourth by allowing back-to-back home runs to Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu.
After the Abreu home run, Valdez drilled Story with a pitch that came up near the Red Sox shortstop's face. Valdez was ejected, and the benches cleared before the situation was diffused.
After giving up back-to-back home runs, Framber Valdez hit Trevor Story, and the benches cleared 👀
Valdez has been ejectedpic.twitter.com/HPtJbMcny5
One of the reasons the scrum never turned physical might have been the hesitance of Tigers coaches and players to defend Valdez. Manager A.J. Hinch indicated after the game that he wasn't proud of his pitcher.
"We play a really good brand of baseball here. That didn’t feel like it," Hinch told reporters. 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."
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said after the game that he believed Valdez intentionally hit Story and called it "weak."
Valdez denied he intentionally hit Story, despite the pitch being his first four-seam fastball he's thrown in 2026. "I (think) that it’s completely unfair," Valdez said about his ejection "First of all, they should have given me a warning."
Framber Valdez on tonight's ejection:
"I (think) that it’s completely unfair. First of all, they should have given me a warning."
"I do not expect to get suspended," he said.
Valdez said his lone four-seam fastball of the 2026 season was not intended to hit Trevor Story.
Here's a look at Valdez's potential discipline after the ejection.
MORE: How long is Tarik Skubal out?
Will Framber Valdez be suspended?
Valdez said after Tuesday's game that he did not expect to be suspended. He may be in for a surprise.
MLB typically suspends pitchers for what amounts to one start if the league believes they intentionally hit a player with a pitch. It would be surprising if the Tigers left-hander avoided a suspension after being ejected Tuesday night.
ESPN's Buster Olney speculated a seven-game suspension could be roughly what to expect for Valdez, which would be in line with past suspensions for starting pitchers. Because starters only pitch every five days, a suspension has to be at least five games for it to affect a team at all.
The Tigers are already missing a handful of starters, including Skubal, so any more strain on the pitching staff would be less than ideal.
MORE: What Tarik Skubal's elbow surgery means for his free agency
Framber Valdez controversial history
Valdez was involved in controversy last season as well, when some wondered whether he intentionally crossed up catcher Cesar Salazar immediately after giving up a home run to Trent Grisham.
Valdez and Salazar weren't on the same page on the pitch to Grisham, as the then-Astros lefty shook off Salazar and didn't step off the mound when Salazar evidently wanted him to take a moment before the pitch.
On the next pitch after the Grisham home run, Valdez hit Salazar in the chest at 93 mph. Valdez said he and Salazar simply got their signals crossed, but the timing and the rarity of a moment like that quickly led to speculation that it might have been intentional.
"What happened with us, we just got crossed up. I called for that pitch, I threw it and we got crossed up," Valdez said after the game. "We went down to the dugout and I excused myself with him and I said sorry to him and I take full responsibility for that."
Valdez's time with the Astros would end less than a month later, and he officially moved on from Houston when he signed with the Tigers in February.
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