Astros' Ronel Blanco had 'the stickiest stuff' felt on glove since crackdown, ump says
Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco, who threw a no-hitter earlier this season, was tossed from his game against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night after a foreign substance check.
First-base umpire Erich Bacchus talked about what he felt inside of Blanco’s glove that led to the ejection.
"I felt something inside the glove," Bacchus said. "It was the stickiest stuff I’ve felt on a glove since we’ve been doing this for a few years now."
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Astros starting pitcher Ronel Blanco throws against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Third-base umpire Laz Diaz was the one who tossed Blanco after the rest of the umpires conferred. They, along with Blanco and Astros manager Joe Espada, discussed the issue before the righty was tossed. Blanco’s glove was also confiscated.
"Everybody checked the glove to make sure we all had the same thing, and he had to get ejected because he had a foreign substance on his glove," Diaz said.
Blanco, through a translator, denied using an illegal substance.
"Just probably rosin I put on my left arm," he added. "Maybe because of the sweat it got into the glove and that’s maybe what they found."
Ronel Blanco is walked off the field by Joe Espada of the Astros after being ejected in the fourth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Minute Maid Park on May 14, 2024, in Houston, Texas. (Logan Riely/Getty Images)
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He allowed four hits and struck out one batter before he was ejected.
The Astros won the game 2-1 behind Victor Caratini’s RBI single in the 10th inning.
Major League Baseball cracked down on foreign substances in 2021 when, simply, pitchers were too dominant with the sticky stuff. The substances are used to increase spin rates, which causes more break on the ball, leading to less offense.
Blanco has been a diamond in the rough for the Astros this season. Tuesday marked just his 15th start, and 32nd appearance, in the majors. But he tossed a no-hitter in his first start of the season earlier this year and owns a dominant 2.08 ERA.
Astros starting pitcher Ronel Blanco leaves the field after being ejected following a foreign substance check during the game against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
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He is now the sixth pitcher to be ejected for a foreign substance since the crackdown. He will likely be hit with a 10-game suspension.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
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