Boston Red Sox
“I thought it was weak and I thought everybody saw it. Their side, our side, I think everybody saw it.”
Framber Valdez was ejected on Tuesday after hitting Trevor Story. Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images
A day after Tigers lefty Framber Valdez was ejected after plunking Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story with a pitch, MLB doled out some punishment against the Detroit starter.
MLB announced on Wednesday that Valdez has been suspended five games for plunking Story, while Tigers manager A.J. Hinch received a one-game ban.
Valdez lost his cool during the fourth inning of Boston’s eventual 10-3 win over Detroit on Tuesday.
After giving up back-to-back home runs to Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu, Valdez’s very next pitch was a 94 mph fastball that hit Story square in the numbers.
Framber Valdez gives up back-to-back home runs, then drills Trevor Story on the first pitch 😬
Benches clear and Valdez was ejected 👀👎 pic.twitter.com/scjOrFJY2z
— NESN (@NESN) May 6, 2026
Story was not thrilled with being hit, and both the Red Sox and Tigers’ benches cleared. No punches were thrown, with Valdez immediately ejected from the game.
After the game, Valdez claimed that he did not try to hit Story with the pitch.
“It was not intentional,” Valdez told reporters through a team interpreter. “It was not on purpose. It might look like that, but it wasn’t.”
Even Hinch didn’t exactly come to his pitcher’s defense regarding intent after the game.
“We play a really good brand of baseball here. That didn’t feel like it,” Hinch said. “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.”
The Red Sox did not hold back postgame when asked about Valdez’s actions.
“Yes, I do think so,” interim manager Chad Tracy said when asked if he thought the pitch was intentional. “I thought it was weak and I thought everybody saw it. Their side, our side, I think everybody saw it. It was weak.”
“I was in there ready to hit and it showed up way behind me, off the numbers,” Story added. “I think we all know what’s what. … “It’s pretty indisputable.”
This is not the first time that Valdez has let his temper get the better of him on the mound.
Last season with the Astros, Valdez delivered a pitch that hit his own catcher, Cesar Salazar, in the chest with what appeared to be a mix-up in what pitch was delivered. Valdez’s offering that crossed up Salazar came just two pitches after Valdez served up a grand slam to Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham.
That time Framber Valdez purposely crossed up his catcher Cesar Salazar and hit him after being told to step off before allowing a grand slam.pic.twitter.com/jfoic4XDYs
— Baseball’s Greatest Moments (@BBGreatMoments) May 6, 2026
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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