Video: Mets’ Edwin Díaz Ejected vs. Cubs After Foreign Substance Check by MLB Umpire
Luke Hales/Getty Images
New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz was ejected from his team’s road game against the Chicago Cubs Sunday following a foreign substance check from crew chief Vic Carapazza.
ESPN @espn
Edwin Diaz was ejected after umpires inspected his hands and glove before throwing a pitch to the Cubs in the 9th inning. pic.twitter.com/rXugw13udM
The Mets led 5-2 going into the bottom of the ninth. Díaz came on in relief of left-hander Reid Garrett to try to close the game, but he was ejected before throwing one pitch. Drew Smith then replaced Díaz on the mound.
Díaz said after the game he was “surprised” while denying he had anything besides rosin and sweat:
Anthony DiComo @AnthonyDiComo
Edwin Díaz on his ejection: pic.twitter.com/9RH3py8sk6
The ejection comes with an automatic 10-game suspension, but Díaz has the right to an appeal.
After the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that Carapazza said he had too much rosin on his hand.
SNY @SNYtv
“They thought it was too much… The rules are the rules.”
Carlos Mendoza speaks on Edwin Díaz’s ejection: pic.twitter.com/bBV9dKw3yY
A zoomed-in shot on Díaz’s right hand from the ESPN broadcast (h/t Awful Announcing) appeared to show a dark brown substance on his thumb and fingers.
Jesse Rogers @JesseRogersESPN
Crew chief Vic Carapazza re Edwin Diaz being ejected tonight in the Mets/Cubs game after checking his hand: “It definitely wasn’t rosin and sweat. We’ve checked 1000’s of these. I know what that feeling is. This was very sticky.”
This has been a tough year for Díaz, who returned after missing all of 2023 with a torn patellar tendon in his right knee. The year prior, Díaz made the All-Star Game and posted a 1.31 ERA. This season, Díaz has posted a 4.70 ERA over 23 games. He’s made seven saves but blown four save opportunities.
His last three appearances went quite well, though, with a scoreless inning apiece to help win one-run games each time. Díaz registered a victory and two saves.
If Díaz misses the next 10 games, then he’s set to miss two home contests against the New York Yankees, three more in Queens versus the Houston Astros, four at the Washington Nationals and the first matchup at the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 5.
A Díaz suspension would also mark the seventh time a pitcher has been given this 10-game sitdown since a new policy was introduced in June 2021. Three of them have been Mets, per Ryan Finkelstein of Locked on Mets.
Ryan Finkelstein @FinkelsteinRyan
Pretty insane that MLB has only suspended pitchers for sticky stuff seven times. Three of them have been Mets.
Max Scherzer, Drew Smith and Edwin Diaz. https://t.co/1qIMpOc3QU
As for Sunday’s game, Smith got the first two out before shortstop Dansby Swanson singled. The Mets then brought in left-hander Jake Diekman, who struck out Patrick Wisdom to end the game.
Going forward, it’s unclear who the closer will be, but Mendoza told reporters the Mets are “going to have to get creative.” Notable options include Reed Garrett, Adam Ottavino, Smith, and Diekman.
