Valdez and Salazar Address Controversy After Tough Game

Houston Astros starter Framber Valdez and catcher César Salazar have publicly refuted any notions that Valdez intentionally crossed up Salazar during their recent 7-1 defeat against the New York Yankees. The incident occurred when Salazar motioned for Valdez to step off the mound, a request that Valdez disregarded, resulting in a devastating grand slam hit by Trent Grisham.

Despite the setback, Valdez made it clear that keeping his composure was essential as he prepared for his next outing against the Texas Rangers. After the loss, which ended 4-2, he stated, "That was a priority for today. I was just trying to keep my focus no matter if they hit a home run."

Learning from Mistakes

In his post-game comments, Valdez acknowledged that his performance was not up to par. "I recognize that was a bad outing for me," Valdez admitted. "Between César and me, it was a bad moment, but we keep working and focus on the next outing and on keeping on working on my stuff and having a good outing."

During his follow-up appearance against the Rangers, Valdez showed improvement, surrendering three runs and five hits over seven innings and striking out five batters. However, he did allow a two-run homer to Jake Burger in the sixth inning, which further extended Texas' lead. Nevertheless, Valdez showcased resilience by retiring the next four batters in quick succession, a sign of his commitment to maintaining focus despite adversity.