Mets closer Edwin Diaz walks off the field after being ejected by umpire Vic Carapazza for a sticky substance violating during New York’s 5-2 win over the Cubs on Sunday in Chicago. Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press
New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz was suspended 10 games on Monday by Major League Baseball after his ejection from a 5-2 win over the Chicago Cubs for having a foreign substance on his hand.
Díaz became the eighth pitcher suspended for sticky stuff since MLB cracked down on pitchers attempting to use foreign substances to improve their grip and spin rates in 2021. Three of them have been Mets, including Max Scherzer and Drew Smith last year.
Houston’s Ronel Blanco was suspended on May 15.
Díaz’s suspension, issued by MLB senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill, will start with Tuesday’s Subway Series opener against the New York Yankees at Citi Field unless the pitcher appeals to MLB special assistant John McHale Jr. If Díaz appeals, the penalty would be held in abeyance until the disciplinary process is complete.
After the two-game series, the Mets host three games against Houston. They would have to player short a man during a suspension.
The 30-year-old Díaz came on in the ninth to try to seal the victory for the Mets on Sunday night but was tossed by third-base umpire Vic Carapazza before throwing a pitch after an inspection of his glove and throwing hand.
Both Díaz and manager Carlos Mendoza said the umpire said he thought the pitcher had too much of a combination of rosin, sweat and dirt on his throwing hand.
ORIOLES: Baltimore recalled outfield prospect Heston Kjerstad from the minor leagues prior to the start of their series with AL Central-leading Cleveland.
Kjerstad is ranked No. 21 on MLB Pipeline’s prospect list. He went 2 for 14 in seven games with the Orioles earlier this season. At Triple-A Norfolk, he’s hit .300 with 16 home runs and 58 RBI in 2024.
Kjerstad was the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft out of Arkansas.
Baltimore designated utilityman Nick Maton for assignment.
MARINERS: Infielder Jorge Polanco was reinstated from the 10-day injured list before Monday night’s game at Tampa Bay.
Polanco was placed on the IL May 27 with a right hamstring strain and played six games between Triple-A Tacoma and Class A Everett on a rehab assignment.
In 46 games this season before being sidelined, Polanco hit .195 with five homers and 14 RBI. He has appeared in parts of 11 major league seasons and has a .265 career average.
Infielder Tyler Locklear was optioned to Tacoma.
REDS: Center fielder TJ Friedl is back on the injured list.
The Reds put the 28-year-old Friedl on the 10-day injured list because of a right hamstring strain. He could be out a few weeks.
Friedl was sidelined for the first six weeks of the season after breaking his right wrist in spring training. He came back and played six games before he was hit by a pitch that broke his left thumb.
He returned to the lineup May 29 but then strained his hamstring making a diving catch last week in Pittsburgh.
Friedl said he was at 80% to 85% running comfortably in last weekend’s series against the Red Sox but realized the injury wasn’t getting any better.
PADRES: Right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. was placed on the 10-day injured list with a stress reaction in his right thigh bone.
Tatis has been dealing with what had been described as a quadriceps injury for some time. Manager Mike Shildt said the team discovered the stress reaction in his femur a few days ago after imaging. The manager said Tatis could play with the injury, but it won’t get better without rest.
Tatis was hit by a pitch near his left elbow on Friday night against Milwaukee and was removed from the game two innings later. He didn’t play Saturday or Sunday.
Tatis leads the Padres with 14 home runs, including a 446-foot shot on Thursday night. He won the NL Gold Glove and Platinum Glove awards last year in his first season in right field.
DODGERS: Pitcher Clayton Kershaw has been shut down for a week after experiencing lingering soreness in his comeback from left shoulder surgery.
Kershaw, 36, had an MRI that “showed no new incidents,” Manager Dave Roberts said before Monday night’s game at the Chicago White Sox.
Kershaw had surgery in November, a month after he recorded just one out in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against Arizona. The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner re-signed with Los Angeles in February, staying with his only big league club.
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