While the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers were preparing for Wednesday night’s series finale at Comerica Park, Major League Baseball was handing down punishments for an on-field incident that occurred in Boston’s 10-3 win on Tuesday night. Here’s what you need to know:
It was a night to forget for Detroit starter Framber Valdez, who had no answers for a Boston offense all night. Valdez lasted just three-plus innings, allowing 10 runs (seven earned), including back-to-back blasts off the bats of Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu to lead off the fourth inning. That gave the Red Sox a 10-2 lead at the time.
After allowing the pair of home runs to kick off the fourth inning, Valdez hit shortstop Trevor Story in the back with the first pitch of the at-bat, the first four-seam fastball he had thrown all year. Story immediately voiced his displeasure with Valdez, and both dugouts and bullpens emptied out onto the field.
After several minutes of the teams conversing, the umpires met and ejected Valdez from the game.
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy was asked about the incident after the game, saying he felt the pitch that struck Story was intentional. “I thought it was weak, and I thought everyone saw it, their side, our side, I think everybody saw it, and it was weak,” he said.
“I think we all know what’s what and it’s pretty undisputable,” Story said of the pitch after the game.
Detroit manager AJ Hinch seemed to back up Tracy’s sentiments, telling DetroitNews’ Chris McCosky, “We play a really good brand of baseball here. That didn’t feel like it. 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.”
Despite seemingly everyone in agreement that what Valdez did was intentional, the lefty himself was insistent it was not, telling The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen that the ejection was “completely unfair”. As for why Valdez went to the four-seam for the first time in 2026, “I wanted to throw the fastball because I threw it in the bullpen today,” he told Stanvenhagen, “and that pitch just stayed up and hit him by bad luck. It wasn’t intentional or anything. Anybody can have a pitch get away from them in that situation.”
Major League Baseball wasn’t buying Valdez’ excuse, announcing on Wednesday afternoon that the left-handed starter was suspended for six games and fined an undisclosed amount for intentionally throwing at Story. The suspension was reduced to five games pretty quickly after it was announced.
Despite calling out his starter after Tuesday’s loss, Hinch was also fined and suspended. He will serve that one-game suspension, missing Wednesday’s series finale against Boston.
The Red Sox will go for the series sweep of the Tigers on Wednesday night. Sonny Gray makes his return from the injured list, getting the start for Boston, opposite Jack Flaherty for Detroit. First pitch from Comerica Park set for 6:40 p.m. ET.