Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez was thrust into the spotlight thanks to a bizarre exchange he had with catcher César Salazar during the club's 7–1 loss to the Yankees on Tuesday night. Valdez, facing Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham in the top of the fifth inning, was on the mound preparing to deliver a pitch when Salazar waved his hand, seemingly gesturing for the Astros southpaw to step off the mound in order to sort out an apparent difference in pitch preference. But Valdez delivered the offering anyway, a 95-mph sinker that Grisham drove over the left field fence for a grand slam.
A miscommunciation between the two again popped up on the next at-bat, as Salazar set up inside for what he thought was an off-speed pitch, but what actually ended up being a 92-mph sinker that the Astros catcher took right to the chest protector. There was some speculation on social media that ther cross-up between Valdez and his catcher was intentional—in other words, that the left-hander hit Salazar on purpose.
