Red Sox Broadcaster Blasts AL Pitcher’s ‘All-Time Scumbag Move’

Will Middlebrooks isn’t buying that Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez accidentally crossed up his catcher.

A bizarre sequence unfolded during Tuesday’s 7-1 loss to the New York Yankees. After allowing a grand slam to Trent Grisham, Valdez hit catcher Cesar Salazar in the chest with a pitch during the next at-bat. Valdez and Salazar both said the cross-up was unintentional.

Middlebrooks doesn’t believe that story. The former Red Sox player and current NESN broadcaster chastised the Astros starting pitcher during a CBS Sports appearance on Wednesday.

“I think this is an all-time scumbag move by a teammate,” Middlebrooks said. “This is one of the worst things you can do as a pitcher.”

Salazar tried to get Valdez’s attention before the southpaw threw the pitch that Grisham sent into the stands. Middlebrooks thinks the All-Star pitcher took his frustration out on his teammate.

“He was angry because Salazar didn’t want to throw that pitch,” Middlebrooks theorized. “Framber wanted to throw that pitch, so he told him to back off the mound because the pitch clock was about to go off. ‘Back off, let’s get the pitch I want.’ He threw the pitch anyway, gives up a homer, then he’s mad and does that.”

Middlebrooks claimed that Valdez didn’t look apologetic after hitting Salazar, who was setting up on the low and inside corner, with a fastball down the plate. That has the World Series champion convinced it was intentional.

“The reaction was everything I needed to know,” Middlebrooks said. “When I initially saw it, I was thinking, OK, it was a mistake. Then you watch the reaction of Framber. No remorse. No, ‘My bad.’ Nothing. No reaction. Because your initial reaction any time you cross up a catcher is, ‘Oh my god.’ You can really hurt a guy. You squared him up in the sternum with 95 (mph), and you didn’t even react?”

Astros players reportedly confronted Valdez after the game, according to The Ice Box Insider’s Michael Schwab. Middlebrooks claimed he would have fought Valdez if he were in that clubhouse.

“I’m sorry. If he’s my teammate, if I’m that catcher, we’re going down the tunnel and you’re getting these hands either now or after the game,” Middlebrooks said. “You can pick when you want them. That just can’t happen. It’s like he’s pouting like a five-year-old out there.”