More sticky substance trouble for Mets: Drew Smith suspended after violation vs. Yankees

NEW YORK — Drew Smith's night ended before it even began.

On Tuesday night, the New York Mets right-handed reliever trotted onto the field in the top of the seventh inning against the New York Yankees and was stopped short of the mound and ejected by umpire crew chief Bill Miller after a substance check by each of the umpires in the infield grass.

Now, he'll be unavailable out of the Mets' bullpen for 10 games as he serves a suspension that will keep him out until June 25.

Smith was resolute that it was sweat and rosin. He had his teammates and an MLB official feel his hands in the dugout tunnel but the decision had already been made.

"I think if something’s sticky, it’s illegal," Miller said. "They cannot manipulate the rosin. They can't use foreign substance. I don't know what was on his hand. But his hand was sticky to the touch, where my hand stuck to his hand."

The Mets will now be forced to play down a player for the extent of Smith's suspension.

"I was really surprised because I haven't done anything different all year," Smith said on Tuesday night. "I use sweat and rosin. I don't know what else to say. Nothing changed. I just think the process is so arbitrary. It can change from one crew to the other. I think that's the main issue.

"It just sucks for the team not having a guy for 10 days and being a man down for the roster spot."

Miller said Smith's hands felt distinctly different than other hands he has checked this season. He added the three members of his crew felt the same way.

Now, Buck Showalter and the Mets front office will have to figure out how to navigate losing one of their top high-leverage relievers for 10 games. On Tuesday, Jon Curtiss sprung to action and threw two scoreless innings. David Robertson came on with the Mets trailing and picked up two strikeouts and worked around a single.

"We had some situations tonight where we're picking the guy that can most return tomorrow," Showalter said. "We used Robbie there, he's had some time off. I didn't want to use Otto. It creates a whole different kind of pecking order than what you're used to when you have to push everybody up like that. "

Smith is the second Mets player to be ejected for an illegal substance, joining Max Scherzer, who was ejected in the middle of his start against the Dodgers on April 19 in Los Angeles.

Smith said he would have to have a discussion with the Major League Baseball Players Association before deciding whether to appeal. Scherzer opted not to appeal the suspension and served his 10-game suspension.

"I think we're all angry about this one," Scherzer said. "You feel his hand and you don't feel anything."

Both Smith and Scherzer agreed that there should be a component that checks an disparities in spin rate before an ejection is made.

"This is a dangerous issue to sit here and keep cracking down on pitchers because we need grip to be able to throw the baseball. If not, it ends up at the hitter's head," Scherzer said. "This isn't just a black-and-white issue. This is a gray issue and it's complex. I know we're all very frustrated because it doesn't appear that Drew violated any rule."