Mets ace Max Scherzer suspended 10 games
New York Mets superstar Max Scherzer has been suspended for 10 games by Major League Baseball following his ejection from Wednesday's game against the Dodgers, according to a report from baseball insider Jon Heyman.
He was also fined $10,000 by the league. Scherzer will not appeal his suspension.
"I thought I was going get in front of a neutral arbitrator, but I wasn't. It was going to be through MLB. Given that process, I wasn't going to come out on top," the ace said, per SNY.
As relayed by The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, MLB provided a long explanation for Scherzer's suspension, citing a "level of stickiness" that was "so extreme that it was inconsistent with the use of rosin and/or sweat alone," among other reasons.
Scherzer was ejected in the fourth inning when umpires found a sticky substance on his glove. He had earlier been told to wash his hands, which felt "clumpy" due to a build up of sweat and rosin during the game.
Following the next check an inning later, Scherzer's glove was found to be sticky, at which point he was told to use a different glove. He complied. It was after a third check, this one in the fourth inning that Scherzer was ejected.
He could be seen repeatedly screaming that it was rosin on his hand, but it did no good.
Crew chief Dan Bellino said it was the stickiest hand he has felt since doing these checks during games.
Scherzer sounded off after the game in an effort to defend himself. Via ESPN, the three-time Cy Young Award winner said, "I'd have to be an absolute idiot to try to do anything when I'm coming back out for the fourth [inning]," Scherzer told reporters after the game.
The veteran ace later added, "I don't get how I get ejected when I'm in front of MLB officials doing exactly -- exactly -- what you want. And being deemed my hands too sticky when I'm using legal substances, I do not understand that."
The 10-game suspension means that Scherzer will probably miss two starts.
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