Max Scherzer, the pitcher for the New York Mets, was ejected from a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday due to a foreign substance check (USA Today). Scherzer had pitched three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks with three strikeouts before the ejection (USA Today). This is just the latest incident in a series of recent controversies surrounding the use of foreign substances in baseball among players.
The New York Times reported that Scherzer’s ejection was due to a foreign substance found on his person during the inspection. He was immediately removed from the game, providing yet another speed bump to his record (The New York Times). Sports Illustrated reported that Scherzer now faces potential suspension of up to 10 games due to the ejection (Sports Illustrated).
Scherzer’s ejection occurred after he got into a heated conversation with officials, as reported by Fox News. Despite his arguments, the umpires upheld their decision to eject him from the game (Fox News). Yahoo Sports reported that he was asked to change his glove before the ejection, and that the argument may have been due to the glove change request.
In response to his ejection, Scherzer contends that his hand was simply sticky due to sweat and rosin, and nothing else, as reported by the New York Post (New York Post). The Post also reported that Scherzer now faces possible suspension due to the ejection.
Scherzer’s ejection was caught on video and has been widely circulated on social media. In the video, Scherzer can be seen arguing with the umpires before ultimately being removed from the game (Bleacher Report). CBS Sports reported that Scherzer’s ejection occurred in the fourth inning of the game, and that he was checked for a foreign substance before being ejected (CBS Sports).
Overall, Scherzer’s ejection is just the latest in a series of recent controversies surrounding the use of foreign substances in baseball. As MLB.com reported, Scherzer argued with home-plate umpire Dan Bellino and crew chief Phil for more than a minute on Wednesday afternoon before ultimately being ejected (MLB.com). It remains to be seen what the fallout of this incident will be for Scherzer and the Mets moving forward.
