Houston’s starting pitcher, Framber Valdez, maintains that striking his catcher with a wayward throw during Wednesday night’s 7-1 defeat at the hands of the New York Yankees was unintentional.
In the fifth inning at Daikin Park, Valdez surrendered a bases-loaded home run. Just prior to the costly pitch, catcher Cesar Salazar seemed to signal for Valdez to halt his delivery. Valdez disregarded the signal and proceeded with the pitch, which Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham promptly sent over the fence. This grand slam extended the Yankees’ advantage to 6-0.
During the subsequent batter’s appearance, Valdez’s pitch veered off course and struck Salazar in the chest. Salazar, visibly shaken, removed his helmet and fixed a stare at Valdez from home plate. Valdez, in response, turned away from Salazar.
Following the game, Valdez asserted that the incident was accidental.
Both Valdez and Salazar were summoned to the manager’s office after the game concluded, where Valdez reportedly apologized to Salazar.
“It was the pitch I desired to deliver. I requested that pitch. I was unable to precisely locate it,” Valdez conveyed through an interpreter, as reported by Astros correspondent Will Kunkel. “Subsequently, we experienced a miscommunication. Afterwards, I expressed my apologies to him.”
Salazar corroborated this, stating that he and Valdez “maintain a very positive relationship.”
“There was a substantial presence of Yankees supporters, resulting in significant noise following the grand slam,” Salazar commented. “Perhaps my signal selection was incorrect, leading me to inadvertently press the incorrect button.”
Despite the unfavorable appearance of the situation, both athletes assert that it stemmed from a simple misunderstanding amidst the pressure of the game.
The Yankees secured the victory by a six-run margin, owing to Grisham’s grand slam and a pair of home runs contributed by Jazz Chisholm Jr. This win elevates their season record to 77-61, placing them 2.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East standings.
Valdez, currently in his eighth season with the Astros, possesses a 3.40 earned run average and a 12-8 win-loss record across 27 appearances this season. The Astros, despite dropping three of their most recent four games, continue to hold a three-game lead in the American League West division race.
