Mets closer Edwin Díaz suspended 10 games for foreign substance according to…
New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz has been suspended 10 games and fined an undisclosed amount after violating prohibitions on foreign substances, Major League Baseball announced Monday.
The suspension, issued by MLB senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill, will begin Tuesday, when the Mets will host the New York Yankees at Citi Field, after Diaz decided not to appeal the discipline.
Díaz, 30, told reporters he uses only rosin, sweat and dirt on his hands.
“I use the same thing, always,” he said. “I rub rosin, sweat and I put my hand in the dirt a little bit so I can have some grip on the ball. … I was really surprised because I didn’t have anything on my hand, glove or belt. They always check everything.”
Carapazza said in a pool report after the game it “definitely wasn’t rosin and sweat” on Díaz’s hand.
“We’ve checked thousands of these,” Carapazza said. “I know what that feeling is. This was very sticky.”
Both Díaz and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said the umpire said he thought the pitcher had too much of a combination of rosin, sweat and dirt on his throwing hand.
“The rules are the rules, and they made the decision to throw him out,” Mendoza said.
