Valdez Expresses Frustration After Astros’ Loss to Yankees
In a tough outing on Tuesday, Houston Astros pitcher Franver Valdez seemed to struggle with the team’s 7-1 loss against the New York Yankees, showing his frustration towards catcher Cesar Salazar.
The Yankees took a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning when center fielder Trent Grisham came up with the bases loaded and two outs. Valdez seemed to be feeling the pressure as the pitch clock wound down, leading to a moment where Salazar attempted to help him reset by signaling for a timeout. However, Valdez didn’t acknowledge Salazar’s gesture and delivered the pitch just before the clock expired.
Grisham capitalized, sending a 96 mph sinker from Valdez sailing into left field for a grand slam, extending the Yankees’ lead to 6-0. After this, Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe stepped up to the plate, and Valdez appeared visibly annoyed with Salazar once again.
In a heated moment, Valdez threw a 93 mph sinker that hit Salazar in the chest, surprising him completely. Salazar, clearly taken aback, glanced at Valdez, who turned away and returned to the mound. After collecting himself, Salazar approached Valdez before tossing the ball back. It looked like there was some tension between them.
Dallas Braden, a former MLB pitcher, shared a clip of the incident on Twitter, labeling Valdez’s throw as “100% intentional” and calling it “absolute garbage behavior.”
When asked about the incident after the game, Valdez denied any intention behind the pitch. “No, that wasn’t intentional,” he clarified, explaining that there was simply a miscommunication between him and Salazar. He mentioned, “We just crossed what happened to us.” Valdez took full responsibility, apologizing to Salazar afterward.
Salazar also weighed in, stating that he unintentionally pressed the wrong button, explaining, “The stadium is loud…I was hoping for a different pitch, but it wasn’t.” He emphasized that he and Valdez maintain a solid rapport.
As for the Astros, currently at 76-63, they will look to turn their fortunes around against the Yankees (77-61) when they meet again for the second game of the series on Wednesday at 8:10 PM.
