Trump administration ends protection for 268,000 Venezuelans as Maduro fumes
FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Kristi Noem are ending a 2021 designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuela, the agency told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
Under President Biden, two designations of TPS were established for Venezuela. The first was established in 2021, which is being terminated today, and the second in 2023, which the Trump administration terminated on April 7,2023.
“Given Venezuela’s substantial role in driving irregular migration and the clear magnet effect created by Temporary Protected Status, maintaining or expanding TPS for Venezuelan nationals directly undermines the Trump Administration’s efforts to secure our southern border and manage migration effectively,” a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
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“Weighing public safety, national security, migration factors, immigration policy, economic considerations, and foreign policy, it’s clear that allowing Venezuelan nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is not in America’s best interest,” the spokesperson added.
With the termination of the 2021 TPS designation, 268,156 Venezuelan nationals currently in the U.S. will lose their status and will no longer be legally allowed to reside in the United States, according to figures shared by Fox News Digital from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
3,738 pending initial applications to be eligible for TPS and 102,935 pending renewal applications will also be terminated as of today.
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USCIS recommends those no longer protected by TPS use the CBP Home Mobile App to facilitate leaving the U.S.
The TPS designation will expire September 10, 2025, and termination will be effective 60 days after the publication of the Federal Register notice.
After the April termination of the 2023 TPS designation, roughly 348,000 Venezuelan nationals lost their protected status and were required to make arrangements to leave the U.S.
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The move comes after Fox News Digital reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) found that some Venezuelan officials “likely facilitate” migration for members of the violent, criminal Tren De Aragua gang from the South American country to the U.S.
On Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused President Donald Trump and the U.S. of “seeking a regime change through military threat,” after the Trump administration increased naval presence in the region.
“Venezuela is confronting the biggest threat that has been seen on our continent in the last 100 years,” Maduro told journalists. “A situation like this has never been seen.”
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On Wednesday, Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed to “Fox & Friends” that the U.S. had successfully carried out a military strike in the Caribbean that destroyed a Venezuelan drug boat and killed 11 alleged Tren De Aragua narco-terrorists.
‘Tone-deaf’ protesters heckle Vance outside Minneapolis church shooting site
As Vice President JD Vance paid his respects to the victims of last week’s deadly mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, protesters standing by a “progress pride” flag with transgender colors heckled him from across the street.
Vance, who is Catholic, paid a visit to the site of the shooting and visited with victims and their families on Wednesday.
The vice president and second lady Usha Vance were seen pausing for a moment in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary outside the church before he entered. As he entered, protesters could be heard shouting various slogans, including “protect our kids,” “you’re a coward” and “do better.”
Behind the protesters were signs reading “protect kids not guns” beside a pride flag.
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Commenting on the protesters, conservative columnist Dustin Grage posted on X, “Leftist protestors proceed to shout ‘You’re a coward’ and ‘do better’ while flying a rainbow flag. Talk about tone-deaf.”
Police have identified 23-year-old Robin Westman as the shooter who opened fire on a school Mass last Wednesday, killing two children and injuring 21 others.
The killer was carrying three firearms, according to authorities – a rifle, a pistol and a shotgun. All three had been purchased legally.
Court records show that a Minneapolis juvenile named Robert Westman had a legal name change to Robin in 2019, and FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the shooter was born Robert and later identified as Robin.
The mass shooting claimed the lives of Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10.
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Speaking with reporters before boarding Air Force Two after the visit, Vance commented, “I have never had a day that will stay with me like this day did.”
He called it a “very heartbreaking, but also very gratifying visit.”
“I really felt like these parents, in the midst of the worst grief of their entire lives, they opened up their lives and they opened up their hearts and they made me part of it,” he said. “They told me about their kids. They told me about their families. They told me about the community supporting them. And that was just an amazing thing to see, an amazing thing to witness, an amazing thing. To get to be a part of.”
Vance said that he was moved by the victims’ parents’ stories about their deceased children.
“We should talk more about these kids. We should talk less about the shooter. We should talk less about the crazy person who took these children from us. We should talk about these kids, their hopes and their dreams and the fact that they had a full life ahead of them that was cut short,” he said.
“I wish that we talked a lot more about Harper, who was a beautiful young girl. She had a beautiful smile, the kind of smile that would turn a bad day into a good one and was very proud of the fact that she just had her first communion a couple of years ago … I also wish we talked a little bit more about Fletcher. Fletcher was a very rambunctious and energetic kid, was a beautiful kid, had an incredible head of hair.”
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Vance also urged continued prayer for the victims of the shooting still suffering from their injuries.
“While two kids lost their lives, there’s still one kid that’s in very serious condition, and every single family, the family of Lydia, who luckily recovered, but we visited her in the hospital, the family of the two who died, Harper and Fletcher, all three of those families said, ‘Please say a prayer,’” he said. “So now, my fellow Americans, if you’re the praying type, say a prayer for this innocent girl who’s actually in surgery right now that the swelling will go down, that she will be okay because she’s still in a fight for her life.”
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Asked whether authorities should be investigating people who are experiencing gender dysphoria and are exhibiting signs that they might be targeting kids, Vance responded, “Certainly we should be investigating people who are planning on targeting kids.”
He said that concerning policies to prevent future attacks, all the victims’ parents asked was “that we look very seriously at the root causes, that we look very seriously at ways to prevent crazy people who are about to shoot up a school from getting access to firearms.”
Vance added that “one of the ways that I’m going to try to honor these parents and the children that they lost is by being a better dad and hugging my kids tight tonight and making sure that they know that their dad loves them. Because there are two families who are not going to get that opportunity ever again.”
‘Vile’ anti-Trump comment from Tim Walz sparks social media firestorm
Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz is facing heat from conservatives on social media over a clip they say shows the former vice presidential nominee wishing for news of President Donald Trump’s death.
“Look I get it, you get up in the morning and you doom scroll through things, although I will say this, the last few days you woke up thinking there might be news,” Walz said at a Labor Day picnic in Duluth on Monday, eliciting a laugh from the crowd in a reference to recent online conspiracy theories about Trump’s health with some claiming that he had died.
“Just saying, just saying, there will be news sometime, just so you know, there will be news.”
Many on social media took issue with Walz’s statement alleging he was wishing ill on the president, who has faced two assassination attempts.
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“@Tim_Walz, mocking President Trump’s health is a new low, even for you,” GOP House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who represents Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, posted on X. “Wishing ill on others doesn’t make you a leader—it makes you small. Minnesotans deserve better.”
“@Tim_Walz monologue where he pines something is currently wrong with the President’s health—then chirps if there isn’t its only a matter of a short amount of time before something dire will happen to him—isn’t just vile it shows once again Dems have learned little since Butler,” journalist and author Salena Zito posted on X.
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“Tim Walz was very excited about the left-wing rumors claiming President Trump had died,” conservative influencer Benny Johnson posted on X. “This guy is sick.”
“Tim Walz tells supporters to remain hopeful that Trump will die soon,” conservative influencer account Johnny MAGA posted on X. “Schoolchildren were just shot in church last week in Tim’s state — and this is what he’s thinking about I can’t even put into words how disgusting this deranged freak is.”
“Tim Walz ‘toning the rhetoric down,’ huh?” GOP Rep. Pete Stauber, who represents Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District, posted on X. “Is there more fraud in Tim’s words or his state government?”
“This is Tim Walz hoping to hear news about Trump’s death,” conservative influencer John Jackson posted on X. “Tell me again how we’re supposed to coexist with these people.”
“What a monster,” conservative influencer Paul A. Szypula posted on X.
Fox News Digital reached out to Walz’s office for comment.
Walz has emerged as one of the loudest voices against Trump since last November with calls for Democrats to “bully the s***” out of Trump and “be a little meaner.”
Walz, who has not yet officially announced he is running for reelection, acknowledged in a recent interview that his bid alongside former Vice President Kamala Harris might have hurt him with voters in Minnesota.
“People get tired of it,” Walz said. “I get tired of myself at times.”
Trump sought to dispel swirling social media rumors about his health Tuesday, saying he was “very active” over the Labor Day weekend.
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“I didn’t do anything for two days, and they said ‘there must be something wrong with him,’” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, describing the speculation about his death as “fake news.”
Trump’s comments followed a wave of unfounded speculation that began Friday night and stretched into Saturday morning, fueled by an empty public schedule and recycled photos showing bruising on his hand.
“I was very active over the weekend. I went out to visit some people at the club that I own pretty nearby on the Potomac River. No, I’ve been very active, actually,” Trump said, drawing a sharp comparison to his predecessor, President Joe Biden.
“You wouldn’t see him (Biden) and nobody ever said there was ever anything wrong with him,” Trump said. “And we know he wasn’t in the greatest of shape.”
Sports Illustrated model admits career ‘took off’ only after she ‘altered’ herself
Brooks Nader needed her family to help her realize she was abusing weight loss drugs.
Nader’s health became a topic of concern among her three sisters during the seventh episode of their reality show, “Love Thy Nader.”
The 28-year-old model admitted she was taking GLP-1’s after she nearly passed out during an exercise class, and chalked up her symptoms to the medication.
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“I typically microdose GLP-1, this weight loss drug,” Brooks said. “But now since I have ‘Maxim’ coming up, and I’m probably gonna be half-naked, I’m upping my dose a little because I want to be extra snatched. But at the same time, the symptoms of the weight loss drug, they’ve gotten a lot worse recently.”
The injectable medication is primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes, but has become more accessible to those hoping to shed a few pounds.
“She didn’t eat last night, and she didn’t eat anything today,” Grace Ann, 25, said before questioning her sister’s motives in a confessional.
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“There is an enormous amount of pressure in the modeling industry in order to be a working model. I’ve felt it, everyone’s felt it. But Brooks puts an unrealistic amount of pressure on herself in order to maintain her appearance.”
Brooks was adamant that her symptoms weren’t “that big of a deal,” but her sisters didn’t let it go.
“I’m nauseous, I’m tired,” Brooks said. “I do this all the time. I do, it’s fine.”
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“I’m seriously worried about her,” Grace Ann said before noting that Brooks was “really fatigued, she’s passing out, she’s throwing up.”
The following day, Grace Ann summoned the courage to intervene on Brooks after she, along with sister Mary Holland, discovered a basket of needles in addition to bottles of the drug.
“Just seeing all of the needles piled up in one place makes me realize the gravity of how deep she’s gone in it,” Mary Holland said. “This is different doctors, clearly. This is different pharmacies.”
Mary Holland added, “That’s dangerous. She’s overprescribed. This amount is so concerning.”
Youngest sibling, Sarah Jane, 23, admitted she also once tried GLP-1’s, but realized “something deeper is going on” with her sister.
“Modeling is something you don’t just get, you have to work for it,” Sarah Jane explained of the industry. “As sad as it is, there’s an unrealistic beauty standard to reach, and this helps you get there.”
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The sisters enlisted the help of a psychologist to mediate the intervention, which only caused more tension with Brooks.
“You’re using GLP-1 and not eating and so you’re tired, you can’t really complete a workout,” Grace Ann said before Brooks interrupted, “You guys shouldn’t be throwing stones because you’ve tried it and so have you.”
Brooks continued, “Why do you think I’m on GLP-1? Because every job I do, it’s like you have to fit into a certain standard and a certain measurement, and they’re straight up measuring my hips for all these new fashion jobs I’m getting into in Paris and Milan. There’s requirements I don’t meet. And I know how vapid this industry is, and if I say no to it, they’re just going to pick someone else.”
The former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant admitted she knew “more models that are on it than aren’t,” and revealed that agencies are “encouraging them” to use the weight-loss drug.
“My career has just started to take off, and I don’t think that it’s a coincidence that it just started to take off once I altered myself and lost weight, fixed my nose,” Brooks said. “All the things my team told me I needed to change, I did.”
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While Brooks acknowledged that she needed to be more mindful of her self-care, she refused to taper off the medication and decided to keep drinking bone broth before her magazine shoot.
“I know my sisters are coming from a place of love. I just find that you don’t know until you’re in that position how to handle it,” she said, later confessing, “I think that I have maybe an unhealthy relationship with weight and food because of the industry that I’m in, but I don’t think that I have an eating disorder.”
‘She left marks on them’: Mom of slain girl backs Trump’s fight against cartels
EXCLUSIVE: The mother of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, a Houston girl allegedly killed by Venezuelan illegal immigrants last June, recently spoke out in support of U.S. military action against suspected Tren de Aragua (TdA) narco-terrorists.
President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday the U.S. military carried out a strike that killed 11 alleged TdA narco-terrorists on a drug boat in the southern Caribbean, demonstrating the administration’s continued efforts to stop dangerous narcotics from reaching U.S. shores.
“Taking down their drug boat [Tuesday] shows real strength, and I pray they keep going until every last one of these monsters is off our streets and out of our hemisphere,” Alexis Nungary said.
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In a video produced by The American Border Story, a national initiative dedicated to exposing the human impact of America’s border crisis through storytelling and investigative reporting, Nungary shared the devastating story of tracking her daughter’s phone to a skate park two minutes from their home.
She described being met by officers and crime scene tape where Jocelyn’s body was discovered.
“There’s already an officer walking in my direction before I even put my car in park,” Nungary said. “I run out, and I’m like, ‘I’m looking for my daughter. [I] don’t know where she is. … I’ve checked everywhere her phone shows it’s here.’ He kind of walked me away from the direction of where the tape was, and he was like, ‘Oh, this is something else. … but just keep your phone on you nearby.’”
Homicide detectives later confirmed they found her daughter’s body. She had been sexually assaulted before her death.
“She left marks on them, she bit them, she left scratches,” Nungary said. “She had broken nails. She had their DNA under her nails. I think when she knew she wasn’t going to make it out, she knew a way to help find them. It’s sad that she had to do that, but it’s a very courageous thing that she was able to do that at such a young age.”
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Jocelyn’s suspected killers were later identified as Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22, and Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26, both illegal Venezuelan nationals.
Pena was previously accused of raping an American woman vacationing in Costa Rica, and the pair were allegedly associated with TdA, a foreign terrorist organization.
Pena had TdA-related tattoos, and Martinez-Rangel’s social media account used emojis associated with the gang, according to search warrants obtained by affiliate FOX 26 Houston.
The men were caught by U.S. Border Patrol near El Paso, Texas, in early 2024, but released on their own recognizance under the Biden administration into the U.S. The murder happened just months after their illegal entry.
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Following Jocelyn’s death, Nungary said both men were arrested on capital murder charges in El Paso and quickly released back into the community. They have since been placed under immigration detainers as prosecutors seek the death penalty.
“The two men who took my daughter’s life away from her were not from here,” she said. “They were released because of Biden’s catch and release policy. They weren’t held until their detention immigration hearing. They were let go. … She should have never encountered them. She should have been able to make it home. She didn’t ask for her life to be ripped away from her.”
Nungary added she believes unvetted immigrants have a different agenda than those who migrate to the country legally.
“It’s been kind of scary to know the kind of world we live in as Americans … I still have another child. I was scared to know what could have happened to him if we hadn’t had [President] Donald Trump come into presidency,” she said. “Just knowing the fact that he’s made so much change in so little time, it’s incredible. It’s incredible to know that there is somebody that wants to make a difference and that wants us to genuinely be safe as citizens.”
After learning Jocelyn was an animal lover, Trump signed an executive order in March renaming the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge the “Jocelyn Nungaray National Refuge,” in her honor.
“I just have an amount of serenity that reaches my soul when I’m there, and I just know that she’s fully there in spirit,” Nungary said. “If she was here, she would probably ask to go camping there and say that’s her second home every weekend. She would want to go there every weekend and put up a tent. … She had a very big heart.”
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Nungary said every time the Trump administration fights back against TdA and other narco-terrorist cartels, she feels a sense of justice for Jocelyn.
“My daughter was murdered by these same violent criminals who should never have been here in the first place,” she wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Unlike Biden, who let known illegals back onto our streets, this administration is taking action to stop them.”
Nicole Kiprilov, executive director of The American Border Story, added the Venezuelans should never have been on American soil.
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“[Tuesday’s] strike against the Tren de Aragua drug boat shows that this administration is finally taking the fight directly to the cartels, unlike [former President] Joe Biden, who allowed these known illegals to walk free,” Kiprilov said. “At TABS, we’re committed to making sure families like Jocelyn’s are never forgotten, and that Americans see what real leadership against these narco-terrorists looks like.”
Erin Andrews had ‘no symptoms’ before diagnosis, urges early screenings
Sports broadcaster Erin Andrews, a cervical cancer survivor, is joining a national movement to promote early cancer screening, a cause that hits close to home.
Andrews, a member of the FOX NFL Sunday’s A-Team and host of FOX’s “99 To Beat,” has credited a routine check-up for saving her life.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Andrews shared how she attended an annual appointment with her gynecologist in 2017 and received a “shocking” cancer diagnosis.
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Andrews said she did not have any symptoms and always followed a healthy lifestyle, including eating a balanced diet and incorporating a regular fitness routine.
“I am not somebody that misses a doctor’s appointment,” she said. “I’m really good every single year at getting in when I need to get in. And I did that, and I was absolutely blown away and shocked.
“But the good news was, because I had been so proactive with my health and I had been tested the year before, the cancer hadn’t progressed,” she added. “We were able to take care of it after two surgeries.”
“Early detection can save your life or the life of someone you love.”
Now, in partnership with Aflac, a leading provider of cancer insurance, Andrews is launching “Check for Cancer,” a campaign encouraging Americans to prioritize routine cancer screenings.
“Go to your doctor, go for your checkups, be proactive with your health,” she advised. “People don’t like going to the doctor. They don’t want to get bad news. Sometimes they even put it off so much they forget about it.”
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Andrews hopes the Check for Cancer campaign will make it easier for people to access screenings and get reminders to schedule appointments.
“It’s just something you want to instill in people’s heads,” she said.
Andrews stressed that early detection is “key,” especially for younger Americans, as cancer rates rise across all age groups.
Check for Cancer aims to increase U.S. screenings by 10% over the next decade, using a checkered pattern as a visual reminder, according to a press release.
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One in three Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes, per data from the American Cancer Society.
An Aflac Wellness Matters Survey revealed that 90% of U.S. adults admit to delaying a check-up or recommended screening.
Beginning Sept. 3, 2025, Aflac will offer cancer screening and early detection resources on its website. The company will also donate $5 to childhood cancer research and care for each social media post using #CheckforCancer, up to $1 million.
“Too many Americans delay screenings, often due to fear, uncertainty or simply not knowing where to start,” Aflac Incorporated President Virgil Miller commented in a statement.
“This leads to healthcare challenges that could have been mitigated or even avoided,” he said, adding that “early detection can save your life or the life of someone you love.”
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“Getting screened shouldn’t feel overwhelming. It should be routine and feel woven into the fabric of everyday life just like the checked patterns we see every day.”
Trump’s team has floated admin job for Adams in bid to stop Mamdani, report says
The White House has remained silent after a new report claims advisors to President Donald Trump have discussed offering New York City Mayor Eric Adams a position within the Trump administration in the hopes it would hurt mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s election odds.
Trump advisors reportedly had a discussion with Adams’ associates about dipping out of the race and potentially joining the Trump administration to pave the way for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo to secure a victory in November’s election, the New York Times reported Wednesday.
It remains unclear if specific positions for Adams have been talked about or if Adams would be inclined to accept such an offer, the report said.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
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Mamdani is a Ugandan-born Muslim and Democratic socialist who won the Democratic Party’s primary for New York City mayor in June. Meanwhile, Cuomo is a moderate Democrat running in the race as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary race in June.
Adams’ campaign said the mayor has not had discussions with Trump on the matter.
“Mayor Adams has made it clear that he will not respond to every rumor that comes up,” Todd Shapiro, a spokesperson for Adams’ campaign, said Wednesday. “He will remain focused, not be distracted and grind for New Yorkers.”
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“He has had no discussions with, nor has he met with, President Donald Trump regarding the mayoral race,” Shapiro said. “The mayor is fully committed to winning this election, with millions of New Yorkers preparing to cast their votes. His record is clear: Crime is down, jobs are up and he has consistently stood up for working families. Mayor Adams is focused on building on that progress and earning four more years to continue delivering for the people of New York.”
Trump historically has railed against Mamdani and has cautioned New Yorkers against voting for the New York State assemblyman from Queens.
“No. 1, you have a communist running, and you shouldn’t vote for him,” Trump said during a July Cabinet meeting. “He’s a disaster. He’s leading. He’s got the Democrat nomination because that shows you where the Democrats have gone.
“I’m not getting involved, but I can tell you this: I used to say we will not ever be a socialist country. Right. Well, I’ll say it again. We’re not going to have — if a communist gets elected to run New York, it can never be the same.”
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Big change is coming for Social Security recipients at the end of September
The Social Security Administration (SSA) will stop issuing paper checks at the end of this month, in a change that affects hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries across the U.S.
The shift follows months after President Donald Trump issued an executive order in March mandating all federal payments be made electronically beginning Sept. 30, through means including direct deposit and credit cards. Paper-based payments are more costly and vulnerable to fraud, theft, errors and delays, according to the White House.
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“Less than one percent of Social Security Administration beneficiaries currently receive paper checks,” an SSA spokesperson told FOX Business in an email. “… Where a beneficiary has no other means to receive payment, we will continue to issue paper checks.”
As of September, more than 68 million Americans across all 50 U.S. states and territories receive Social Security benefits. Of that number, around 390,000 people, or about 0.6%, are receiving check payments, according to data from the SSA.
The SSA is actively contacting those beneficiaries to notify them of the change as well as the process to shift to electronic payments before Sept. 30, the spokesperson told FOX Business.
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Some exceptions will be made, including in emergency situations and for those without access to digital payment systems or banks, according to the White House.
Sending paper checks is around 50 cents, compared to less than 15 cents for an electronic funds transfer. Paper checks are also sixteen times more likely to be lost or stolen, according to the SSA.
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In fiscal year 2024, it cost American taxpayers more than $650 million to maintain the technology and infrastructure needed to process paper records, according to the White House.
“Reducing paper checks has been a longstanding bipartisan goal that our administration is finally putting into action,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement last month. “Thanks to President Trump, this will help reduce fraud and theft. It will also remove delays that prevent hardworking Americans from receiving their vital payments.”
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To update payment information, Social Security recipients can find more information on the SSA’s website.
The White House and the U.S. Treasury did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.
Astros ace accused of intentionally hitting own catcher after grand slam
Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez struggled in the team’s 7-1 loss to the New York Yankees Tuesday and appeared to air his frustrations at his own catcher, César Salazar.
The Yankees led 2-0 in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and two outs. Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham was batting and ahead in the count 1-0.
The pitch clock was winding down on Valdez, and Salazar motioned with his hands for Valdez to step off the mound and use a timeout. Valdez ignored Salazar and delivered the pitch barely ahead of the pitch clock expiring.
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Grisham swatted Valdez’s 96-mph sinker into the left-field seats for a grand slam to make it a 6-0 game.
In the next at-bat, Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe came up, and Valdez seemed to express his displeasure with Salazar.
Valdez fired a 93-mph sinker right at Salazar’s chest, and the catcher was not prepared for it. He missed the ball, and it hit him in his chest protector. Salazar stared back at Valdez, who turned his back to him and walked back to the mound after the pitch.
Salazar took his mask off and walked a couple of steps toward the pitcher’s mound before he threw the ball back to Valdez.
Former MLB pitcher and Athletics broadcaster Dallas Braden tweeted a video of the incident on X and said it was “100% intentional” and called it “absolute trash behavior.”
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Valdez was asked after the game if it was intentional.
“No,” Valdez said. “It was not intentional.”
The 31-year-old said he and Salazar got crossed up.
“What happened with us, we just got crossed up,” Valdez said in Spanish through a translator. “I called for that pitch, I threw it and we got crossed up. We went down to the dugout, and I excused myself with him. And I said sorry to him, and I take full responsibility for that.”
Salazar said after the game that he, not Valdez, pressed the wrong button, and that it wasn’t on purpose.
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“The stadium was loud,” Salazar said. “I thought I pressed the button, but I pressed the wrong button. I was expecting another pitch, but it wasn’t it.
“Me and Framber, we actually have a really good relationship.”
The Astros (76-63) — especially Valdez and Salazar — will look to turn things around when they play the Yankees (77-61) in the second game of their three-game series Wednesday at 8:10 p.m. ET.