New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz got ejected for using a banned sticky substance before pitching against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night.
As Díaz warmed up for the ninth inning, umpire Brian Walsh checked his hand and glove. Noticing something odd, Walsh called over the other umpires. After their inspection and hearing from Díaz, crew chief Vic Carapazza decided to eject him from the game.
Here’s a look at what happened:
Edwin Díaz ejected without throwing a pitch.
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja)
Umpires’ Decision
The umpires gathered around Díaz to inspect further and discuss. Eventually, they decided he had to leave the game. Fans might think this is a surprising turn of events!
Díaz was replaced by Drew Smith, who along with Jake Diekman kept the Cubs scoreless in the ninth inning, leading to a 5-2 win for the Mets.
Pitchers often use sticky substances to get better control and spin on their pitches. MLB started cracking down on these substances in June 2021 because of widespread use of things like Spider Tack and pine tar. In spring training 2023, MLB said they would enforce these rules more strictly.
Díaz has pitched this season with a 4.70 ERA in 23 games, striking out 33 batters and walking seven in 23 innings. This season is especially important for him as he’s coming back from a knee injury that kept him out all of last year.
What do you think about this ejection?
