Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez stayed calm in his first outing since the infamous cross-up controversy.
After allowing a grand slam on Tuesday vs. the New York Yankees, Valdez hit his catcher, Cesar Salazar, in the chest with a 92.8 mph sinker. Both Valdez and Salazar denied it was intentional following the game, per the Associated Press.
The incident ignited a media firestorm, but Valdez rebounded on Sunday against the Texas Rangers, allowing four runs (three earned) over 7.0 innings for a quality start. Houston still fell, 4-2, at Globe Life Field.
Valdez puts cross-up controversy behind him
The incident occurred in the fifth inning on Tuesday vs. the Yankees. Two pitches after Trent Grisham hit a grand slam, Valdez threw a fastball that Salazar wasn’t expecting.
The catcher’s glove moved downward, but the pitch went toward the middle of the plate. It was deja vu for Valdez on Sunday when he allowed another crucial home run against the Rangers in the sixth, but the veteran left-hander responded by recording the last out.
“That was a really good outing for him,” Astros manager Joe Espada said, per the AP. “He bounced back well, and we need more of that.”
Valdez also spoke after the game, remarking on a lesson he learned from Tuesday’s incident:
“I learned not to get frustrated, not to go crazy. Just focus on the next hitter and the next pitch I’m going to throw.”
Valdez has indeed had a frustrating few weeks. His 5.64 ERA over five starts in the month of August was a stark departure from the 2.62 ERA he previously held.
His first September start was a disaster not only because of the cross-up controversy but also because Valdez allowed six earned runs over just five innings pitched. However, he didn’t look bad on Sunday, and his last start of August was a gem—seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball.
Houston will need Valdez to regain his confidence if it hopes to make a deep run this October.
