San Diego Padres right-hander Robert Suarez will be facing a 10-game suspension after being ejected from Wednesday’s contest against the Miami Marlins for using sticky stuff.
Suarez took over in the top of the eighth inning, but he was quickly tossed by first base umpire Todd Tichenor when a routine check revealed a sticky substance on Suarez’s left wrist and arm.
“We deemed it was too sticky, very sticky, and he was ejected from the game,” Tichenor said.
Tichenor couldn’t make out the exact substance but noted it was stickier than rosin. Suarez claimed it was just sunscreen.
“No, I definitely don’t use any illegal substance, any banned substance at all,” Suarez said through a translator.
Per MLB policy, any pitcher found to be using sticky stuff is subject to an automatic 10-game suspension. Right-handers Max Scherzer and Domingo German are among those who have served 10-game suspensions earlier this season for using foreign substances.
Suarez, 32, has gone 2-2 with a 4.73 ERA across 13 relief appearances this season.
–Field Level Media