Josh Naylor-Tigers drama reminded Mariners fans of common enemy that's always existed

When Josh Naylor wore a 96 mph fastball from Keider Montero too close to his head on Saturday, all it took was one look into the Detroit Tigers' dugout to confirm it was on purpose. The tell was from none other than an old nemesis, Framber Valdez.

“[Framber] Valdez was pointing and laughing at me on the bench,” Naylor told reporters, including MLB.com's Jason Beck, “so I knew it was on purpose.”

Remember that one siren sound effect from Kill Bill? Yeah, that one. One can imagine that going through Naylor's head when he spotted Valdez. The lefty's reputation precedes him like that, just as much as Naylor's precedes him with the Tigers.

Sure, Naylor's history with Detroit includes being a thorn in their side during his Cleveland era, plus what some consider bush league tactics on the basepaths and a scary run-in with Kevin McGonigle.

Valdez, though, has a rap sheet a mile long. And few teams know it better than the Mariners.

Framber Valdez and the Tigers just gave Mariners a reason to circle August 4-6

Valdez likes throwing at people. Enemy hitters. His own catcher. It doesn't matter. And sure, Valdez's denials are officially part of the record, but never has "consider the source" been more appropriate. All the other available evidence says he's an equal-opportunity bruiser.

Even when Valdez exited the AL West, Mariners fans had every right to keep an eye on him. Through 2025, Mariners hitters accounted for 10 of his 58 hit-by-pitches as a Houston Astro. That was four more than any other team, and at least one had pretty obvious intent behind it.

He threw only six four-seam fastballs in 2023, and one of them got José Caballero in the leg after a two-run homer by Dylan Moore on August 19. It was the same tired (and painful) playbook that bit Cesar Salazar last year and Trevor Story this year.

Of course, Valdez also drilled J.P. Crawford in the hand with a sinker on Friday. It almost certainly wasn't intentional, but one can't go all the way in giving Valdez the benefit of the doubt. And since Crawford had to leave the game, the Mariners showed remarkable grace in not retaliating anyway. Their pitchers didn't hit a single Tigers batter in the series.

Given all this and how the Tigers treated Josh Naylor just for doing Josh Naylor things, one can't not wonder if something might go down the next time these two teams meet. That will be at T-Mobile Park for a three-game set from August 4-6.

If Valdez pitches in that series, the Mariners will have to assume that the odds of him starting some stuff are greater than zero.

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