Tigers’ Framber Valdez ejected after benches clear vs. Red Sox

The Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox are squaring off in the middle game of a three-game set on Tuesday night. After Boston won Game 1, they were looking for their second series win under interim manager Chad Tracey. Tigers starter Framber Valdez was tattooed by the Red Sox offense, and was then ejected after he hit Trevor Story with a pitch.

Framber Valdez gives up back-to-back home runs, then drills Trevor Story on the first pitch

Benches clear and Valdez was ejected pic.twitter.com/scjOrFJY2z

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Valdez allowed five runs in the third inning, all without surrendering a homer. Five consecutive singles and a fielder’s choice pushed all five of those runs across, making it 8-3. Then in the fourth, Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu hit back-to-back homers to bring the score to 10-3. Story was the next batter and Valdez’s last of the game.

Valdez signed a three-year, $115 million deal with the Tigers before this season. After a great run with the Houston Astros, Valdez has a confounding ending, which included crossing up his own catcher. He landed on the Tigers as a great second option to Tarik Skubal, but this was a disaster.

Coming into the start against the Red Sox, Valdez had a 3.35 ERA in his first seven starts with the Tigers. One of those starts was an eight-run explosion against the Minnesota Twins in April. In the five starts since that mess, he had allowed just six runs in 23.1 innings. But now, his ERA will be exploding once again.

This has not been a banner series for left-handed Tigers starters. Skubal was placed on the injured list with loose bodies in his elbow. The two-time defending Cy Young winner will undergo surgery and has no timetable for a return. If Valdez is suspended and misses a start, it could be an ugly stretch for the Tigers.

The Tigers and Red Sox finish their series on Wednesday at 6:40 p.m. Eastern. Jack Flaherty will pitch for Detroit.

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