Yankees' Aaron Boone responds to saga involving Mets' Max Scherzer

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone has responded to New York Mets co-ace Max Scherzer being punished for violating MLB rules related to the use of foreign substances. 

"Yeah, there’s probably gray area," Boone said of the league guidelines, per Greg Joyce of the New York Post. "It’s tough. It’s tough for everyone involved. Obviously, the league’s trying to make things as level as possible and you certainly want that as a competitor. But yeah, trying to learn and have those conversations and be as proactive as you can. But there does seem to be some gray in there. We’ll just try to stay out in front of things as best we can." 

Umpires ejected Scherzer from Wednesday's game at the Los Angeles Dodgers even though he insisted his hands were "sticky" because of a mixture of sweat and league-approved rosin. Those same umpires later claimed Scherzer's hands were abnormally tacky, and the league announced Thursday the three-time Cy Young Award winner had been suspended for 10 games and fined $10,000. 

By the time the Mets faced the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night, Scherzer had confirmed he wasn't appealing the league's decision. 

Interestingly, Boone found himself involved in a similar kerfuffle during last Saturday's game against the Minnesota Twins when New York pitcher Domingo German escaped an ejection after he was told to remove a substance from his hands but failed to adequately do so. 

While speaking on Thursday, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole referenced a memo that warned teams rosin being "used excessively or otherwise misapplied" could result in a pitcher getting tossed from a game and subsequently banned. 

"There’s some parameters there that we’re aware of," Cole explained. "We know the umpires are looking for it. I know that it can be excessive and the umps have been trained to combat that."

The Post's Jon Heyman and others have suggested the Scherzer matter ultimately could change the way the league handles future "sticky" situations. That won't do the current Mets any good, as they're now without who is their best healthy pitcher for nine more contests.