New York Mets right-hander Drew Smith was thrown out of Tuesday’s Subway Series game after multiple umpires conducted a foreign-substance check.
Before taking the mound in the seventh inning, umpires checked Smith’s hand and ruled that he had a sticky substance on him, which prompted his ejection from the game against the New York Yankees.
On Wednesday, Major League Baseball officials announced that Smith would have to sit out for the next 10 games. A 10-game suspension automatically occurs whenever a player is tossed from a game due to a foreign-substance violation.
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New York Mets relief pitcher Drew Smith reacts to being ejected after his hands were inspected during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees on June 13, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Over the past year, MLB has cracked down on sticky substances. The league first implemented the checks in 2021, but there were no ejections during the season.
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Two-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer was among the pitchers this year who was ejected and later suspended for 10 games for having a foreign substance on one of his hands.
“I think we’re all angry about this one,” Scherzer said after Tuesday’s game when he spoke about Smith’s situation via SNY. “You feel his hand, you don’t feel anything. … He’s been cleared by every other umpire, and now all of a sudden he’s getting thrown out.”
Umpire Bill Miller ejects New York Mets relief pitcher Drew Smith during the seventh inning, June 13, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
On May 17, Yankees right-hander Domingo German was thrown out of a game due to a sticky substance. He also received a 10-game suspension.
Smith was not given a warning before he was ejected.
Umpire D.J. Reyburn checks the hand of New York Yankees pitcher Domingo German during the fourth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on April 15, 2023. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
German had a similar issue on April 15 and was allowed to wash his hand and remain in the game. On May 17, he was not allowed to wash his hand and was immediately ejected.
“This was not an ejectable offense because we didn’t feel it rose to the foreign-substance standard where it affected his pitching,” crew chief James Joye told NJ.com after German was allowed to remain in the April 15 game.
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Over his 23 ⅔ innings this season, Smith has a 4.18 ERA and 28 strikeouts. The Mets won’t have the option of replacing Smith on their active roster while he is serving the suspension.
