Framber Valdez’s ejection on Tuesday night is going to cost him.
Major League Baseball hit the Detroit Tigers starter with a six-game suspension and an undisclosed fine on Wednesday. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was assessed a one-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for Valdez’s actions, too. Hinch will serve his suspension on Wednesday night.
It’s unclear if Valdez is going to appeal his suspension. If he does not, it will also start on Wednesday night. He would then be eligible to return on May 14 for a matchup with the New York Mets.
Valdez was thrown out of the Tigers’ 10-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night after he drilled Trevor Story in the shoulder. That led to his immediate ejection, and sparked a benches-clearing incident.
Always telling to me when the pitcher doesn’t even argue the ejection.
Can never actually know for sure, but plunking a guy down 10-2 on the first pitch of an AB after giving up back-to-back tanks sure feels intentional to me.pic.twitter.com/o9bXM3ZiWG
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) May 6, 2026
The benches-clearing moment didn’t really lead to much. Story was held back and kept away from Valdez, and it ended up being a bunch of players standing around before the two sides were eventually separated. When it comes to benches-clearing incidents, this one was undoubtedly on the tame end, as there was no brawl whatsoever.
But the pitch in question came immediately after Valdez gave up back-to-back home runs. Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu each hit solo shots to start the fourth inning, which pushed the Red Sox’s lead to eight runs at the time.
It even drew criticism from Hinch.
“We play a really good brand of baseball here. That didn’t feel like it,” Hinch told the Detroit News’ Chris McCosky. “I’m not judging intent. But I know when you go out on the field in those confrontations, you usually feel like you are in your right. It didn’t feel good being out there.”
Valdez’s pitch was classified as a four-seam fastball. Valdez has thrown only a single four-seamer all season. He told The Athletic after the game that there was no ill-intent on the pitch, and called his ejection “completely unfair.”
“It wasn’t intentional or anything. Anybody can have a pitch get away from them in that situation,” Valdez said through an interpreter.
Valdez signed a three-year, $115 million deal with Detroit this past offseason. The 32-year-old holds a 2-2 record in eight starts this season with a 4.57 ERA.
