Sticky stuff sends Mets’ Scherzer to the showers
METS 5, DODGERS 3
LOS ANGELES — Max Scherzer swore on his children’s lives he put nothing but sweat and rosin on his hands at Dodger Stadium. The umpires still ejected him Wednesday, telling the Mets ace his hand was too sticky to possibly be legal.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner loudly proclaimed his innocence afterward. Scherzer also praised his bullpen for saving the Mets’ day after his early exit.
Scherzer was ejected in the fourth inning after the umpires’ check of his hands, but five relievers came through and Brandon Nimmo went 5 for 5 in New York’s 5-3 victory over the slumping Los Angeles Dodgers.
Scherzer was visibly furious when umpire Phil Cuzzi tossed him following an inspection and a lengthy conversation that included plate umpire Dan Bellino, the crew chief.
“Yes, when you use sweat and rosin, your hand is sticky,” Scherzer said. “I don’t get how I get ejected when I’m in front of MLB officials doing exactly what you want and being deemed my hand is too sticky when I’m using legal substances.”
The trouble started after the second inning, when Cuzzi determined Scherzer’s hand was stickier and darker than normal. Cuzzi ordered Scherzer to wash his hand, which Scherzer said he did with alcohol while a Major League Baseball official watched.
After the third inning, Cuzzi then determined the pocket of Scherzer’s glove was “sticky,” likely with too much rosin, and he ordered Scherzer to change gloves. The umpires then checked the 38-year-old right-hander again before the fourth, and his hands were even worse than before.
Scherzer had pitched three scoreless innings of one-hit ball before his early exit. It was his shortest start since June 11, 2021, when he threw 12
pitches for Washington before leaving with a groin injury.
CARDINALS 14, DIAMONDBACKS 5 Tommy Edman had a three-run home run with a career-best five RBI and Nolan Gorman hit his first big league grand slam as St. Louis defeated Arizona.
GIANTS 5, MARLINS 2 (11) Michael Conforto and Mike Yastrzemski hit two-run home runs in the 11th inning as San Francisco stopped a five-game losing streak by beating Miami.
PADRES 1, BRAVES 0 Juan Soto homered off Charlie Morton leading off the fourth, as San Diego stopped Atlanta’s eight-game inning streak.
PIRATES 14, ROCKIES 3 Rodolfo Castro hit a 458-foot home run and drove in four runs as Pittsburgh completed a three-game sweeP.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
ASTROS 8, BLUE JAYS 1 Luis Garcia tied a career high with nine strikeouts in seven shutout innings, Jeremy Pena capped a six-run eighth with a three-run home run and Houston defeated Toronto.
GUARDIANS 3, TIGERS 2 Jose Ramirez a three-run home run off Spencer Turnbull (1-3) in the sixth inning as Cleveland defeated Detroit, which had won five in a row after a 2-9 start.
RANGERS 12, ROYALS 3 Jonah Heim hit a three-run home run as Texas downed Kansas City.
TWINS 10, RED SOX 4 Joey Gallo hit a three-run home run to help lift Minnesota over Boston.
YANKEES 3, ANGELS 2 (10) Gleyber Torres’ sacrifice fly in the 10th inning lifted New York over Los Angeles.
INTERLEAGUE
BREWERS 5, MARINERS 3 Eric Lauer (31) allowed just four hits over 72/ innings as Mil3 waukee finished a three-game sweep of Seattle.
CUBS 12, ATHLETICS 2 Dansby Swanson scored the tiebreaking run to spark a four-run sixth inning, and Chicago swept Oakland.
ORIOLES 4, NATIONALS 0 Kyle Bradish and four relievers combined for a shutout as the Orioles defeated the Nationals.
PHILLIES 5, WHITE SOX 2 Trea Turner hit his first home run for Philadelphia as the Phillies defeated Chicago.
RAYS 8, REDS 0 Yandy Diaz homered on the third pitch of Levi Stoudt’s big league debut to spark a six-run first inning, and Tampa Bay improved to a major league-best 16-3 by beating Cincinnati.