New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz is facing a 10-game suspension following his ejection from the team’s 5-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night. Díaz was brought in during the ninth inning to secure the win for the Mets but was ejected by third-base umpire Vic Carapazza before he could throw a pitch. This came after an inspection of his glove and throwing hand, with Carapazza suspecting an excessive mixture of rosin, sweat, and dirt on Díaz’s hand.
Both Díaz and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza acknowledged that the umpire believed the pitcher had too much of this combination on his hand. Mendoza commented, “The rules are the rules and they made the decision to throw him out.” However, Carapazza, the crew chief, stated in a post-game report that it “definitely wasn’t rosin and sweat” on Díaz’s hand, describing the substance as “very sticky.” He asserted, “We’ve checked thousands of these. I know what that feeling is.”
Díaz expressed surprise at the ejection and is uncertain if he will appeal the suspension. He defended his actions, saying, “I use the same thing always. I rub rosin and sweat and put my hand in the dirt a little bit to get a grip on the ball.” This incident makes Díaz the third Mets pitcher to be ejected for a similar offense in the past year. Drew Smith, who faced a similar situation last year, was also ejected and suspended for 10 games. Smith managed to get two outs in relief of Díaz, and Jake Diekman then struck out pinch-hitter Patrick Wisdom to secure the save, marking Diekman’s third save for the Mets.
The Mets have been performing well, having won four consecutive series and posting a 13-6 record in June. However, Díaz’s suspension might force the team to find a temporary closer for the next two weeks. The Mets are scheduled to begin a two-game series against the visiting Yankees on Tuesday, followed by hosting the Houston Astros for three games.
Manager Carlos Mendoza remains optimistic despite the setback, stating, “Look, we’ve been through a lot this year. 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.”
Overall, the Mets are hopeful that their strong performance will continue even as they navigate Díaz’s absence and look to other players to step up in crucial moments.
