Moody Max Scherzer is a MLB past time at this point, but Wednesday may have been a whole different level for the New York Mets pitcher.
During Scherzer’s return to Los Angeles against his former club, a bizarre sequence of events unfolded at Dodgers Stadium. Sticky substances have caused many a kerfuffle over the years since its the institution of random checks from umpires and Scherzer is certainly no stranger to them by now.
In the third inning of Wednesday’s afternoon game against the Dodgers, Scherzer was forced to change gloves due to a possible sticky substance. As expected, Scherzer wasn’t happy, but complied with umpire Phil Cuzzi’s ruling.
Max Scherzer was forced to change gloves by umpire Phil Cuzzi between innings pic.twitter.com/Tn4h3pdumi
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 19, 2023
An inning later, Scherzer was ejected after another sticky substances check that caused the pitcher to become completely heated. Cameras caught the whole exchange, and observant lip readers believe Scherzer emphatically told the umpires that what was on his hands was rosin, a legal substance pitchers can use for their grip.
Scherzer Ejection.
"It's Rosin" pic.twitter.com/6o3MGu21PI
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 19, 2023
Those lip readers were then confirmed in their suspicious after Mets’ field reporter Steve Gelbs gave the rundown of Scherzer’s ejection later in the game.
"He was adamant to the umpires, shouting constantly: 'it's just rosin'"@SteveGelbs reports from the field on Max Scherzer's ejection pic.twitter.com/IA25PA1iE9
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 19, 2023
After the game, Scherzer doubled down on the rosin reasoning when talking to the media.
"I swear on my kids' lives, I'm not using anything else. This is sweat and rosin. Sweat and rosin."
Max Scherzer on his interaction with Phil Cuzzi: pic.twitter.com/yYWZacimm1
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 19, 2023
It remains to be seen if Scherzer will get hit with the automatic 10-game suspension due to the ejection or if Major League Baseball will take another look at it to see if it truly was rosin on his hands.
Here’s what MLB fans had to say about Scherzer’s heated ejection from Wednesday’s game due to sticky substances.
Uh oh https://t.co/MerZhXq5Aq
— Robyn Hearn (@RobynHearnTV) April 19, 2023
SHE WORE A CROWN AND CAME DOWN IN A BUBBLE, DOUG. GROW UP. https://t.co/vTsaznjEjI
— Hello Criggy (@cdgoldstein) April 19, 2023
It's wild that the MLB went through such great lengths to improve the on-field product this season only for the umps to Make It About Them. https://t.co/6c9cNnRrit
— Alex Fitzpatrick (@AlexJamesFitz) April 19, 2023
The umps are horrible this year. https://t.co/rinwtHX7Ap
— Stacey R. Gotsulias (@StaceGots) April 19, 2023
Max is gonna murder someone https://t.co/IHrWBfZwJX
— JT Terán (@jt_teran) April 19, 2023
“It’s rosin! I promise you on my life, it’s rosin!” Lmao https://t.co/bMqbwdGJEY
— Edwardian (@DepressedDETN) April 19, 2023
I’m sure Scherzer will have a lot to say about this post-game, but he was adamant with the umpires that he was simply using the rosin provided by MLB. Nothing else.
— Steve Gelbs (@SteveGelbs) April 19, 2023
Genuinely confused about this decision and its baffling how Scherzer was adamant about how the perceived sticky stuff was on his non throwing hand! https://t.co/ZuVus8kWZN
— Sydney Bauer (@femme_thoughts) April 19, 2023
Shop Sweat and Rosin T-Shirt— John Stolnis (@JohnStolnis) April 19, 2023
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