Hefty Suspension Reportedly May Be Coming for Tigers Ace Framber Valdez
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The Detroit Tigers could be on the cusp of being dealt another massive blow during what has been an absolutely brutal week for them in the news cycle.
Just one day after losing Tarik Skubal for at least a couple of months due to the loose body surgery his elbow needs, the depth of the starting rotation is being tested.
Needing a great performance from offseason splash signing Framber Valdez, the left-hander instead got shelled and then threw near the head of Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story, clearing the benches and leading to his ejection.
With Skubal out, Detroit needs Valdez at his best more so than ever, but they may be bracing for him to be absent for a period.
In a post Wednesday morning on X, baseball insider Buster Olney of ESPN speculated that a suspension is coming for Valdez, predicting the controversial southpaw to receive a seven-game ban from Major League Baseball.
Olney Believes Valdez Will Get Seven-Game Suspension
Valdez is not a lock to be suspended by the league, but given his track record of being a little bit of a hothead and the timing of the hit by pitch, it's hard to argue there was any sort of positive intent on him hitting Story.
After the game, Valdez said he does not expect to be suspended and even went as far as to call the ejection unfair given that he did not get a warning before being kicked out.
Should Valdez be suspended for seven games, he would likely only miss one start, but this would sting the Tigers at a time when they do not have the horses in the rotation.
Losing Valdez for any amount of time would put Detroit even further behind the 8-ball as they try to get the season back on track.
Tigers Knew What They Were Getting in Valdez
When Detroit was able to sign Valdez, it was late in free agency, where he remained available due, in no small part, to an incident late last season in which he crossed up his own catcher.
Clearly, A.J. Hinch -- who had a history with Valdez going back to Houston -- felt comfortable enough to bring him in, but the Tigers knew that Valdez comes with a little bit of an edge to him, and that's on a good day.
If he does indeed receive a suspension, then he has actively hurt his team's chances of winning, and will have to make it right in the clubhouse with his teammates.
Though there is no one better than Hinch at managing these situations, Valdez is certainly going to be under a close microscope in the coming weeks.
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Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.