Tigers' Framber Valdez Suspended Six Games For Throwing At Trevor Story originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Detroit Tigers ace Framber Valdez is going to have to deal with the consequences after being ejected from Tuesday's matchup against the Boston Red Sox for intentionally hitting Trevor Story with a pitch.
Boston was all over the star pitcher yesterday, scoring ten runs on nine hits. After allowing back-to-back home runs to Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu in the fourth inning, Valdez's frustration seemed to reach a boiling point when he hit Story on the first pitch of his at-bat.
The MLB announced on Wednesday that the two-time All-Star will serve a six-game suspension, unless he elects to appeal, and receive an undisclosed fine for intentionally throwing at Story, which resulted in the benches clearing for both sides.
In addition to Valdez's suspension, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch also received a one-game suspension, which he will serve in the team's series finale against the Red Sox, and an undisclosed fine for the left-handed hurler's actions.
The suspension surely came as a surprise to Valdez, who did not expect to be suspended following his ejection on Tuesday.
“I do not expect to get suspended,” Valdez said, as transcribed by The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen. “If it would have been on purpose, I would have gone towards the hitter, saying something, yelling something, threatening them or something like that, which didn’t happen. I was just calm, just staying out of the situation. I let the benches clear, and nothing happened. I even left the field in a quiet way, because, of course, it was not on purpose."
Though Valdez won't openly admit his intent to throw at Story, it was his first four-seam fastball of the entire season. The star pitcher has a history of letting his emotions get ahead of him and will now face the consequences from the benches-clearing moment.
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