The Detroit Tigers' Tuesday night matchup against the Boston Red Sox turned into a nightmare at Comerica Park, as left-hander Framber Valdez—the team's highest-paid player—had a meltdown for the ages. With the Tigers already reeling from losing ace Tarik Skubal to elbow surgery, all eyes were on Valdez to steady the ship. Instead, the 32-year-old surrendered 10 runs in just over three innings, capped by a controversial hit-by-pitch that got him ejected.

The trouble started early. In the first inning, a fielding error by third baseman Zach McKinstry—fresh off the injured list—opened the door for Ceddanne Rafaela's three-run homer, putting Boston up 3-0. Valdez never found his rhythm, generating only six whiffs on 60 pitches with a dismal 17.6% whiff rate. The Red Sox teed off, averaging a 93.3 mph exit velocity on 16 balls in play.

The fourth inning was where everything unraveled. Willson Contreras crushed a solo homer to stretch the lead to 9-2, and Wilyer Abreu followed with another solo shot to make it 10-2. Both Red Sox hitters flipped their bats in celebration, adding fuel to an already tense game. Then came the moment that emptied both benches: Valdez plunked Trevor Story with a 94.4 mph four-seam fastball—the only four-seamer he's thrown all season—in what appeared to be a deliberate response. Players and coaches exchanged words, but thankfully, no punches were thrown.

The Tigers (18-19) ultimately fell 10-3, losing their second straight since placing Skubal on the injured list. Now they face the grim prospect of a sweep Wednesday against the Red Sox (15-21), with struggling right-hander Jack Flaherty (5.90 ERA in seven starts) taking the mound. For a team already missing its ace, Tuesday's blowout was a harsh reminder that every game counts—and that even the highest-paid players can have days they'd rather forget.