Things were going well for the New York Mets, but they now have to deal with more challenging days ahead as closer Edwin Diaz was suspended.
The 30-year-old has been banned from playing for ten games after getting ejected yesterday in a win against the Chicago Cubs for using sticky substance on his hand.
Using sticky substances is not illegal, but game officials found his too excessive that it affected the game.
The ejection occurred in the ninth inning when Diaz came on to seal the victory for his team.
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However, third-base umpire Vic Carapazza found something suspicious in the player's hand after inspecting his glove and throwing hand. Carapazza said the player's hand was unusually sticky, so he immediately decided to eject him.
"It definitely wasn't rosin and sweat," Carapazza said post-match.
"We've checked thousands of these. I know what that feeling is. This was very sticky. ... Without a question [it] was way too sticky. It didn't take me very long."
MLB senior vice president of on-field operations, Michael Hill, was also quick to hand out further punishment as he decided to suspend Diaz for ten games.
The 30-year-old pitcher was confused by the sudden ejection and reasoned that he had been doing it this season.
"I use the same thing always," Díaz said.
"I rub rosin and sweat and put my hand in the dirt a little bit to get a grip on the ball."
Carlos Mendoza accepted the verdict
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza looked frustrated during the game while trying to learn the facts about Diaz's situation, but later on, he seemed to have accepted the decision.
"The rules are the rules and they made the decision to throw him out," he said after the game.
Instead, he is moving on to their next series against rivals, the New York Yankees.
The Mets are currently fourth in the National League East, and the Subway Series will have a huge impact on their current standings.
Diaz struggled early in the season, but he and the other Mets have shown improvement in the past month.
With his absence, Mendoza will need a new closer who can keep up with the Yankees' ace hitters.
"Look, we've been through a lot this year," Mendoza said. "We'll find a way to get through it, you know? We'll continue to piece it together and, yeah, guys are going to have to step up. And I'm pretty confident that we'll get guys here that are going to be able to get us to the finish line when he's out."
Edwin Diaz can still appeal his case
The verdict is quick, but Edwin Diaz can still evade suspension if he appeals his case under MLB rules.
The player needs to talk to MLB special assistant John McHale Jr to get his suspension overturned or shortened.
However, no appeal has ever won when it comes to sticky substance use.
If the suspension holds up, Diaz will be out for the team until July 6 or the second game of the series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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