Framber Valdez hit catcher Cesar Salazar in the chest with a 93 mph pitch after a misplayed sequence during a bases-loaded at-bat in the fifth inning. Trent Grisham homered on the previous pitch, and the hit-by-pitch followed immediately. Valdez apologized, explained that he and Salazar were "crossed up," took responsibility, and denied any intent. Both players spoke after the game and said they resolved the issue in the clubhouse. Salazar blamed a miscommunication in the loud stadium for pressing the wrong sign, and he said he does not believe Valdez hit him deliberately. The Yankees won 7-1.
Valdez appeared to shake off Salazar on a 1-0 pitch with the bases loaded and Trent Grisham of the New York Yankees at the plate in the fifth inning. Salazar then urged Valdez to step off the mound, but he proceeded with the pitch, which Grisham launched to deep left field to give New York a 6-0 lead in an eventual 7-1 win.
"What happened with us, we just got crossed up," Valdez said in Spanish through an interpreter. "I called for that pitch, I threw it and we got crossed up. We went down to the dugout and I excused myself with him and I said sorry to him and I take full responsibility for that." Valdez was then asked directly if he did it on purpose. "No," he said. "It was not intentional."
"We were able to talk through it," he said. "We spoke after the game... at his locker and everything's good between us. It's just stuff that happens in baseball. But yeah, we talked through it and we're good." Salazar also was asked about what happened on the pitch where he was hit. "The stadium was loud," he said. "I thought I pressed the button, but I pressed the wrong button."
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