Mets Closer Edwin Diaz Ejected for Foreign Substance Violation

A sticky situation.

Mets closer Edwin Diaz gets tossed from Sunay's Mets - Cubs game. / ESPN

The New York Mets beat the Chicago Cubs 5–2 on Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN. With a three run lead in the bottom of the ninth, the Mets brought in closer Edwin Diaz in a save situation, but he never got to throw a pitch. After warming up umpires decided they didn't like something on his hands and ejected him.

Diaz appeared to have something on his right hand when a camera zoomed in during the group discussion that took place right before he was ejected. Since umpires gave him his glove back before he left the field, we can presume that there wasn't anything suspicious there.

Edwin Díaz ejected without throwing a pitch. pic.twitter.com/AlVya8J3aX

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 24, 2024

Diaz was replaced by Drew Smith, who probably thought he had the night off moments before he recorded the first two outs of the inning. After Smith gave up a hit, he was replaced by Jake Diekman, who struck out Patrick Wisdom to end the game and get the save.

Mets closer Edwin Díaz is ejected before he throws a pitch on Sunday Night Baseball after a foreign substance check in the bottom of the 9th. ⚾️📺🎙️ pic.twitter.com/wOY13aU4re

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 24, 2024

This is by far the stickiest situation the Mets have been in during the Grimace era.