The first ejection under MLB’s sticky-substance crackdown has led to a suspension.
Mariners pitcher Hector Santiago received a 10-game suspension on Tuesday after he was ejected while being removed from Sunday’s game. Umpires examined Santiago’s glove, ejected him and confiscated the glove after finding a sticky substance.
Santiago, a former Met who’s from Newark, said Sunday he did not use anything illegal. The 33-year-old will appeal the suspension and remains active.
“[Umpire Phil Cuzzi] said he felt some sticky stuff on the inside of the glove,” Santiago said following the Mariners’ 3-2 victory over the White Sox. “All I used was rosin. I used it on both sides, trying to keep that sweat from dripping down to the hands.”
Mariners manager Scott Servais added: “It’s about 85-90% humidity [Sunday] He had rosin all over himself. When you put rosin on sweat, it gets sticky.”
The Mariners will not be able to fill Santiago’s roster spot during his suspension if it is upheld.
As the umpires inspected his glove, they immediately noticed something sticky on the inside. Cuzzi ejected him moments later.
“What we do is we go around the whole glove, feeling for anything that would be sticky or something,” crew chief Tom Hallion said after the game. “It was very noticeable, and then the rest of the crew inspected to make sure we were all in agreement. All four agreed that it was a sticky substance, and that’s why he was ejected.”
The MLB authenticator placed his glove in a bag after the ejection.
Santiago, a one-time All-Star, is 1-1 with a 2.65 ERA and 23 strikeouts across 17 innings in his first season in Seattle. He joined the Mariners on a one-year, $570,500 contract.