Commissioner Raises Concerns About Possible Cheating

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred believes that the use of banned sticky substances is more prevalent than the three pitchers who have been ejected this season for using illegal grip aids. Manfred made this statement during an owners meeting on Thursday, stating, “I am confident that, out of an abundance of caution and good judgment, umpires have encountered questionable situations in which they were not quite sure.” He emphasized that umpires always err on the side of caution and no violation. On Wednesday, New York Mets pitcher Drew Smith was suspended for 10 games following his ejection. Prior to that, Mets teammate Max Scherzer and Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán also received similar bans on April 20 and May 17, respectively.

Manfred stated, “We consult with umpires after each incident like this. It is fair to say that all of the violation situations were unquestionably clear-cut. The level of stickiness in each case clearly could not have been achieved by the allowable use of a rosin bag.” Since MLB began cracking down on foreign substances in June 2021, a total of five pitchers have been suspended. In 2021, Hector Santiago from the Seattle Mariners and Caleb Smith from the Arizona Diamondbacks served suspensions. Manfred dismissed the notion that enforcement is arbitrary.

He clarified, “All umpires receive consistent training on how the use of rosin on the mound, within the allowed rules, should feel. They know what it feels like when someone is doing something illegal, such as combining rosin with rubbing alcohol, sunscreen, or other sticky substances.” Manfred further emphasized that MLB has a responsibility to enforce the rules. He said, “The phenomenon of sticky substances was altering the way the game was played on the field.” (Read more MLB stories.)