Framber Valdez made a quick exit from the mound Tuesday night at Comerica Park after hitting Trevor Story in the shoulder during the fourth inning of the Tigers' 10-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox. The incident led to his ejection as benches cleared.
The confrontation was relatively tame, with no actual brawl; players mostly stood around before being separated. The plunking occurred right after Valdez surrendered back-to-back home runs to Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu, extending Boston's lead to 10-2.
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy criticized Valdez postgame, calling the pitch 'weak' in comments to the Boston Globe. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch also expressed disapproval, saying, 'It didn't feel good being out there.'
Valdez claimed the pitch—a four-seam fastball, his only one this season—was unintentional and called his ejection 'completely unfair,' arguing he should have received a warning. He entered the game with a 2-1 record and 3.35 ERA in his first season with Detroit after signing a three-year, $115 million deal.
The Tigers dropped to 18-19 with the loss, while Boston improved to 15-21, winning three of their last five games.