Astros' Framber Valdez focuses on keeping cool in 1st start since pitch that hit catcher

“That was a priority for today,” Valdez said through a translator. “I was just trying to keep my focus no matter if they hit a home run.”

The two-time All-Star's reaction to Jake Burger's two-run homer, which followed a tiebreaking double from Josh Jung in the sixth inning, was quite different from what happened after Trent Grisham's grand slam in the Yankees' 7-1 victory on Tuesday.

Two pitches after Grisham's homer, Valdez crossed up catcher César Salazar by throwing a 92.8 mph sinker. Salazar moved his glove downward as the pitch approached the plate, an indication he was expecting a pitch with less velocity and more break. The ball hit him in his chest protector.

Just before the pitch that Grisham sent over the fence, Salazar had motioned for Valdez to step off the mound. Valdez and Salazar both said after the game the pitch that hit the catcher wasn’t on purpose.

“I recognize that was a bad outing for me,” Valdez said. “Between César and me, it was a bad moment, but we keep working and focus on the next outing and focus on keeping on working on my stuff and having a good outing.”

Valdez (12-9) retired the last four hitters he faced following Burger's homer, finishing seven innings while allowing five hits and four runs — three earned — with five strikeouts.

Against the Yankees, Valdez gave up six runs in five innings. While he was better against the Rangers, Valdez is 1-5 with a 5.99 ERA since the start of August.

Still, manager Joe Espada looks forward to the final three weeks with the Astros leading the AL West by 2 1/2 games over Seattle and four over Texas.

“That was a really good outing for him,” Espada said. “He bounced back well, and we need more of that.”

Salazar was not in the Houston lineup for Valdez's return after catching his previous two starts. Yainer Diaz, who caught 23 of Valdez's first 25 starts, was behind the plate.

Salazar had been recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land on Aug. 27 for his second stint with the Astros this season. Valdez’s outings were the second and third starts of the season for Salazar, all three coming since he was recalled.

The 29-year-old from the University of Arizona hasn't played since the incident with Valdez. Both stressed that their relationship was solid, and Valdez said the week's worth of attention for a somewhat bizarre moment was useful.

“I learned not to get frustrated, not to go crazy,” Valdez said. “Just focus on the next hitter and the next pitch I’m going to throw.”

Valdez took the mound a game earlier than expected after the Astros decided to give Luis Garcia more time to recover following the right-hander’s first start in more than two years coming off Tommy John elbow surgery.

Espada said Garcia was fine physically coming off the 8-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels last Monday. He allowed three runs on three hits, including two homers, in six innings in his first start since May 1, 2023.

The manager said Garcia would start the opener of a three-game series at Toronto on Tuesday.

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