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New York Mets right-hander Max Scherzer was ejected from Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers after umpires repeatedly checked the ace pitcher’s hand and glove for a sticky substance.
Umpire Phil Cuzzi and plate umpire Dan Bellino, the crew chief, came out to check Scherzer for a second time as he came out for the fourth inning, and they were joined by Mets manager Buck Showalter. After a heated discussion, an animated Scherzer was tossed from the game.
Scherzer yelled “It’s rosin!” at the umpires before his ejection. He reluctantly went to the dugout.
Scherzer, 38, was forced to change his glove after also having his hands checked by Cuzzi before he took the mound in the bottom of the third inning.
He had allowed just one hit and had three strikeouts at that point.
It was the fourth career ejection for Scherzer, but the first in a game that he was pitching. The previous three had come with him on the bench.
It’s the second incident in MLB this season regarding sticky substances. After a first warning, New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German was again told to wash the rosin from his hands one inning later during a game Saturday, which led Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli to be ejected for arguing that German should’ve been tossed for not complying.
Prior to Scherzer, just two MLB pitchers had been ejected for violating the updated foreign substance policy, both in 2021 — Seattle’s Hector Santiago (also by Cuzzi) and Arizona’s Caleb Smith. Both pitchers received 10-game suspensions
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
