Major League Baseball suspended Detroit Tigers star pitcher Framber Valdez for five games (originally six games, but it was reduced to five games after he agreed to drop any appeal) on Wednesday after he was ejected from Tuesday night’s game against the Boston Red Sox.
After allowing back-to-back home runs and 10 runs overall to the Red Sox, Valdez drilled Boston’s Trevor Story in the back with a 94 mph fastball with no outs in the fourth inning, and benches cleared in Detroit.
Benches clear in the 4th inning of the Red Sox-Tigers game in Detroit. pic.twitter.com/8CigiKH63L
— MLB (@MLB) May 5, 2026
Even Tigers manager A.J. Hinch didn’t approve of Valdez intentionally throwing at the Red Sox.
He didn’t go into detail, but Chad Tracy said Tigers manager A.J. Hinch reached out to him after the game last night.
Hinch made it clear in his remarks to reporters that he disapproved of Valdez’s actions.
“We play a really good brand of baseball here. That didn’t feel like it,” he said.
— Peter Abraham (@peteabeglobe.bsky.social) May 6, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Well, on Thursday, Detroit radio host Jim Costa of 97.1 The Ticket went off on a “jackass” caller who defended Valdez.
Costa loses it on a Framber Valdez defender pic.twitter.com/JfA2cmWpqw
— 97.1 The Ticket: (@971theticketxyt) May 6, 2026
“This channel is soft as a cupcake,” the caller said. “That game was so far over. That game was so far over. If you want to read his pitches, you’re going to wear a 99 mph heater to the spine.”
“Don’t tip your pitches,” Costa responded. “Why are you tipping your pitches?”
“Don’t read; don’t read my pitches,” the caller continued.
“Stop being so readable, bro,” Costa said.
“99, right at the back of your neck,” the caller said. “I’m going to break it.”
“Yeah, we should sever vertebrae because we don’t know how to pitch,” Costa mocked, angrily. “And you’re the tough guy?”
“Sever vertebrae, and I guarantee they won’t tip him again,” the caller said.
“Yeah, let’s put him in the hospital because I’m tough, Adam,” Costa said. “Yeah, that’s how cool I am. You’re a jackass.”
“Are we serious?” Costa continued. “That’s a guy calling in and saying, ‘I want to paralyze people because I’m tipping my pitches.’ You should be… I went light on him. That is outrageous to call in and say that. You want to talk about who’s soft? It’s the guy who can’t handle giving up home runs that’s soft.”
I’m astounded at the amount of Tommy tough guys I’ve dealt with today
Without Skubal, Valdez is the ace of the staff. A highly paid one too
His bullpen is nuked and instead of battling he got in his feelings, got tossed and made his teammates fight his battles.
That’s soft https://t.co/kPrtOjG4s4
— Jim Costa (@JimCosta_) May 6, 2026
“I’m astounded at the amount of Tommy tough guys I’ve dealt with today,” Costa posted to X. “Without Skubal, Valdez is the ace of the staff. A highly paid one too. His bullpen is nuked and instead of battling he got in his feelings, got tossed and made his teammates fight his battles. That’s soft.”
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.