Mets closer Edwin Diaz ejected due to sticky stuff, will face automatic 10-game suspension

CHICAGO – New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz was ejected Sunday night when umpires checked his hands and glove before throwing a pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning.

Crew chief Vic Carapazza confirmed that Diaz’s ejection was caused by a sticky substance.

Carapazza said: “I touched his hand. Caught his hand. The substance was extremely sticky. Discolored. that was that. It certainly wasn’t pink and sweaty. We’ve tested thousands of these. I know what that feeling is. It was very sticky.”

Closer to Edwin Diaz was ejected after getting a substance on his pitching hand

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The Mets won 5–2 to continue their hot streak, but losing Diaz – who recently returned from the injured list with improved results – presents a significant challenge.

After missing all of 2023 due to knee surgery, Diaz has experienced an up-and-down season, symbolizing the Mets’ disparity in 2024. Diaz was strong for the first few weeks (0.93 ERA through April 28), but then struggled majorly – making four saves and giving up 11 runs in 10 games – causing him to temporarily lose the closer role. On May 29, the Mets placed Díaz on the injured list with a right shoulder injury. Diaz’s struggles and his injury coincided with a tragic month of May for the Mets.

However, since returning on June 13, Diaz has resembled his old self. In his last three appearances, Diaz has pitched three scoreless innings, and earned two saves. On his first day back from the injured list, his fastball clocked over 99 mph three times. Prior to this, his average velocity on both his fastball and slider had decreased. Diaz hit over 100 mph for the first time this season in a game on June 14.

Diaz would be the eighth MLB pitcher suspended for foreign substances since the new rules were implemented. Of that list, two other Mets pitchers – Max Scherzer (now with the Texas Rangers) and reliever Drew Smith – received suspensions last year.

“They thought it was too much,” Mendoza said. “Diaz kept saying it was rosin, sweat and dirt. And Vic thought he crossed the line there. “Obviously the rules are the rules and they decided to throw him out.”

Diaz said he used the same mixture he always applies before pitching: rosin, sweat and a little dirt. Although television cameras showed some type of apparent residue on Diaz’s hand, he said that is how his hand always looks when entering a game. He said that he explained a lot to the umpires, but they said it was too much. Diaz said he understood their stance, even though he did not expect the outcome.

“I was really surprised because I had nothing on my hands, gloves, belt,” Diaz said. “They thought it was too sticky. I just said, ‘Hey, you can check my hand, smell my hand.’ But they took me out of the game.”

Mendoza inserted Smith into the game after Diaz was out. Smith did not warm up in the bullpen, as he had no expectation of being used until his ejection. So Smith warmed up on the mound. After recording two outs and during his third at-bat against him, he motioned for catcher Francisco Álvarez to meet him on the mound. Mendoza jogged from the dugout. Smith said he was OK, but Mendoza removed him after allowing a run to lefty Jake Diekman, who finished the inning.

Smith, who has featured in six of the last 10 days, said he was stiff and was having trouble getting loose. He said he should have taken more time to warm up, but added that the problem he was facing was “no big deal.” Like Diaz, Smith also recently returned from the injured list on June 3.

Diaz’s impending suspension comes at a bad time for the Mets (37-39), who are one game out of the wild-card spot with about a month to go before the trade deadline after winning 13 of their last 17 games. The Mets are off Monday and Thursday this week, but New York is set to play 17 consecutive days starting Friday.

The Mets are considering the idea of ​​possibly inserting another starter in early July due to their schedule. Top pitching prospect Christian Scott would likely be recalled in that scenario. However, with a smaller bullpen, the Mets’ pitching plans may not be as straightforward as they were before Díaz’s ejection.

Without Diaz, the rest of the Mets’ bullpen consists of long relievers Adrian Houser, Smith, Diekman, Danny Young, Dedanil Nunez, Adam Ottavino and Reed Garrett. On Saturday, the Mets lost Sean Reed-Foley (shoulder) to the injured list.

Diaz stabilizes the Mets’ bullpen; He dealt with his concussions and absences over the past month. Without Diaz, the Mets will rely on a combination of Ottavino, Nunez and Garrett, as well as Diekman and Young, another lefty, for high-leverage spots. Ottavino has worked a lot of innings recently, but given his struggles, rest and the availability (or lack thereof) of the rest of the bullpen, it was more circumstantial than anything else. Mendoza said the Mets “will have to get creative.”

“We’ve been through a lot this year,” Mendoza said. “We’ll find a way out of this.”

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(Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)