New York Mets Max Scherzer (38) was ejected while undergoing a foreign substance test.
Scherzer started the 2023 Major League Baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA on the 20th (Korean time), but had to leave the stadium after throwing only 4 innings.
Because of foreign matter inspection.
According to MLB.com, in the bottom of the second inning, Scherzer underwent a routine foreign body inspection by referee Dan Bellino, and there were no other problems.
In the bottom of the third, he was instructed by the umpire to change his glove. In response, Scherzer went out with another glove.
However, when Scherzer took the glove he was using for the first time in the fourth inning, the referees stopped him.
In response, Scherzer started a fierce protest, saying, “It’s just rosin.” Even Mets manager Buck Showalter jumped out, but an argument with referee Bellino and referee Phil Cucci continued for more than a minute, and eventually the referees ordered Scherzer off.
Scherzer told reporters after the game that referee Couch had pointed out to him that his hands were “too sticky.”
At the same time, he claimed innocence, saying, “I did not use anything but rosin.”
“I swear on my kids, I didn’t use anything else. It’s sweat and rosin. It’s sticky because it’s a combination of sweat and rosin.”
“It doesn’t matter what it is. All we know is that it’s a lot stickier than we’ve felt before,” countered the referee. Referee Bellino also said, “It was the most sticky in the last 3 years when I tested for foreign substances in terms of stickiness.”
This isn’t the first time Scherzer has confronted an umpire over a foreign object test.
MLB.com explained, “Shizer threw his hat, unfastened his belt, and took off his pants in a rage when opponent manager Joe Girardi demanded multiple foreign substance tests during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies in 2021, who was a member of the Washington Nationals.”
The Mets have invested heavily this season and worked hard to reinforce their power, but they are struggling with a series of injuries and departures from players. In addition, if the ‘Ace’ Scherzer breaks away, the blow to the team will be greater.
Scherzer, who signed a three-year, $130 million (about 173 billion won) contract with the Mets ahead of the 2022 season, will receive an annual salary of about $43.33 million (about 57.6 billion won) this year.
MLB.com pointed out that “if Scherzer pitched with a foreign object, he could be suspended for 10 games.”
The Mets defeated the Dodgers 5-3 despite the departure of starting pitcher Scherzer.
Meanwhile,메이저놀이터 the major leagues began a more thorough crackdown on illegal pitching from June 2021. It is forbidden to apply sticky substances that can affect the trajectory of the ball.