New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer was booted from Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers after what appeared to be a violation of Major League Baseball’s rules against using sticky substances.
Through three innings, Scherzer allowed one hit and had three strikeouts, according to ESPN.
Scherzer came under the scrutiny of the umpiring team in the third inning, when crew chief Phil Cuzzi gave Scherzer’s glove a once-over and said the pitcher needed to use another one, according to the New York Post.
Max Scherzer was ejected between innings after a heated conversation with the umpiring crew pic.twitter.com/mqMkOnzchb
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 19, 2023
Then came the bottom of the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium when Scherzer was inspected by Cuzzi and plate umpire Dan Bellino. This time, they examined his hand.
Scherzer argued with the umpires at length saying, “It’s just rosin,” according to SNY.
After an intense argument that included Mets manager Buck Showalter, Scherzer was ejected.
Max Scherzer got ejected for allegedly having a sticky substance on his glove and he wants to fight everyone @GottaBelievePod pic.twitter.com/HZsdEml0wM
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) April 19, 2023
Should Scherzer been ejected from the game?
Yes: 81% (35 Votes)
No: 19% (8 Votes)
The Los Angeles Times reported that Scherzer was ejected for “having a foreign substance on his glove and a potential substance on his hand.”
Fox News quoted Mets commentator Keith Hernandez as saying he was told by a retired umpire that Scherzer received a warning on the first trip.
When umpires were still unhappy at how sticky Scherzer’s hand was he was removed from the game.
Pitchers ejected for violating the rule face a 10-game suspension. That could spell trouble for the Mets, who have pitchers Justin Verlander, Carlos Carrasco and Jose Quintana already out injured, the Post noted.
The Mets went on to win the game 5-3.
CBS noted that last week, New York Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán was inspected and told to wash his hands because umpires believed there was too much rosin on his hand.
“He was adamant to the umpires, shouting constantly: ‘it’s just rosin’”@SteveGelbs reports from the field on Max Scherzer’s ejection pic.twitter.com/IA25PA1iE9
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 19, 2023
Cuzzi has done this before. In 2021, he was the first umpire to eject a pitcher for violating the ban on sticky substances when he ejected pitcher Hector Santiago, then with the Seattle Mariners, according to the New York Post.
As explained by Sports Illustrated, “Pitchers use substances in order to increase spin rate or RPM on their pitches in order to make them harder to track and hit by opposing batters.”
