Díaz admitted he was “quite surprised” by the ejection and indicated uncertainty about whether he would file an appeal.
In Chicago, the New York Mets faced a setback as closer Edwin Díaz incurred a potential 10-game suspension following his ejection from the team’s 5-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night.
Díaz, slated to secure the win in the ninth inning, was swiftly removed from play by third-base umpire Vic Carapazza before delivering a single pitch. The abrupt ejection came after an inspection of Díaz’s glove and throwing hand revealed what officials deemed an excessive combination of rosin, sweat, and dirt.
Manager Carlos Mendoza recounted the incident, noting the umpire’s explanation that the accumulation on Díaz’s hand exceeded permissible limits under league regulations. “The rules are the rules and they made the decision to throw him out,” Mendoza stated in response to the controversy.
Carapazza, serving as the crew chief, emphasized in a subsequent pool report that the substance found on Díaz’s hand did not resemble the customary rosin and sweat mixture typically allowed for grip enhancement. “We’ve checked thousands of these,” Carapazza asserted. “I know what that feeling is. This was very sticky.”
Díaz expressed his surprise at the ejection and remained uncertain about appealing the subsequent suspension. “I use the same thing always,” he explained. “I rub rosin and sweat and put my hand in the dirt a little bit to get a grip on the ball.”
This incident marks the third instance in the past year where a Mets pitcher has been ejected for a similar infraction. Last year, Drew Smith received a comparable 10-game suspension for a comparable violation. Smith, summoned to replace Díaz, managed to secure two outs before yielding to Jake Diekman, who ultimately recorded his third save of the season by striking out pinch-hitter Patrick Wisdom.
Despite the disruption, the Mets have shown resilience, winning 10 of their last 13 games and posting a formidable 13-6 record for the month of June. As they prepare for upcoming matchups against the New York Yankees and Houston Astros, the team may need to designate a temporary closer during Díaz’s absence.
Reflecting on the situation, Mendoza remained optimistic about the team’s ability to navigate through adversity. “Look, we’ve been through a lot this year,” he acknowledged. “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.”
