METS STAR EDWIN DIAZ IS EJECTED FOR HAVING AN UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE ON HIS HAND BEFORE PITCHING AGAINST THE CUBS
- Edwin Diaz is the third Mets pitcher to get ejected for a sticky substance
- The Mets managed to keep their lead and secure the victory in Chicago
- READ MORE: Mets fan sparks after throwing back home run-ball at Wrigley
New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz was ejected without throwing a pitch against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.
Diaz got thrown out after the umpires checked his hands for an illegal sticky substance at the top of the ninth inning at Wrigley Field.
Umpire Brian Walsh flagged his hands when Diaz stepped out of the dugout and inspected him on the mound. The Mets were leading the Cubs 5-2 when the pause happened.
Walsh called other officials to inspect Diaz's hands and glove following a quick conversation with the pitcher. They then unanimously decided to eject Diaz from the contest.
ESPN's broadcast got a close-up shot of Diaz's right hand, which showed visible amounts of a foreign substance.
Diaz appeared to protest after Mets captain Carlos Mendoza came to talk to the officials before his teammate ultimately got tossed.
The ejection puts Diaz in an unfavorable position, as getting tossed for sticky substances comes with an automatic 10-game suspension.
Should it get handed to him, Diaz will not have the right to appeal the suspension.
Drew Smith entered the game in Diaz's place after getting sent back to the clubhouse and got the first two outs of the last inning. Jake Diekman got brought on to put the game to bed.
The Mets held on for a 5-2 victory to pick up their ninth win in their last 11 games.
The incident came as Diaz looked to finally turn a corner after a tough start to his season. His early slump saw Diaz lose the closer role at one point to on the Mets' injury list.
Diaz posted three straight scoreless outings after returning from the IL.
Furthermore, he is now the third pitcher for the Blue and Orange to get ejected for violating the sticky stuff rule in MLB, joining Max Scherzer and Smith.
The Mets sit fourth in the National League East with a 37-39 record.
Read more 2024-06-24T04:12:55Z dg43tfdfdgfd