An unusual sequence between the battery of Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez and catcher Cesar Salazar during the home loss to the New York Yankees on Tuesday night sparked speculation that Valdez intentionally hit his teammate in the chest with a pitch.

The teammates dismissed the idea, with Valdez apologizing for miscommunication on pitch selection after the 7-1 loss, and Valdez's agent took extra steps Wednesday to defend his client.

"There's no questioning what Framber is and what he represents to the team and his thought process on the team," agent Ulises Cabrera, who represents Valdez, told the Houston Chronicle on Wednesday.

"The idea that he's intentionally trying to injure one of his teammates is preposterous. It's a complete lack of respect for who he is as a person and wh

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