This umpire called foul on Edwin Diaz’s explanation.
Crew chief Vic Carapazza dismissed Diaz’s claims that he had only had rosin, sweat and dirt on his hand Sunday night and thus should not have been ejected from the Mets’ 5-2 win over the Cubs.
Diaz is now facing a 10-game suspension that will leave the Mets down one roster spot after the umpires ruled he had gone above and beyond the standard substances pitchers are allowed to use.
“It definitely wasn’t rosin and sweat,” Carapazza told the pool reporter. “We’ve checked thousands of these. I know what that feeling is. This was very sticky.”
The Mets’ strong 4-2 road trip and series win over the Cubs was spoiled by their closer, who seemingly is back on the right path, earning himself a suspension.
Diaz entered for the save opportunity when his glove and hands were examined, a further examination by the umpiring crew led to his removal from the game.
Carapazza labeled Diaz’s hand as “extremely sticky” and “discolored,” according to MLB.com.
“I told him its too sticky and we have to take action,” Carapazza said. “I knew right when I touched it. It was way too sticky.”
Diaz claimed he did not violate any rules, stating he felt his hand had the same stickiness as usual.
“I just said I use the same thing as always,” Diaz said. “I rub rosin, sweat, and I put my hand in the dirt a little bit because I need to have some grip on the ball. So that’s what I was explaining to them, but they said it was too much stick. I understood.
“But at the end of the day, I was using rosin, sweat, and put my hand in the dirt.”
Despite the upcoming suspension, Diaz said he will not make any changes.
“I will keep using the same thing because they didn’t find anything in my glove, my hat, my belt. I will keep using [the same thing],” he said.
The 10-game suspension would have Diaz sidelined for the two-game Subway Series beginning Tuesday in Flushing and eligible to return July 6 against the Pirates.
