Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Caleb Smith is out 10 games after a "foreign substance" was found on his glove earlier this month.
Smith was ejected during the eighth inning of an August 18th game against the Philadelphia Phillies after an umpire found two suspicious spots in his glove.
"It’s dirt. The inside of my glove is baby blue, where my hand goes in is blue. Last time I checked, we play baseball and you get dirty in baseball; you sweat a lot. I touch the dirt a lot. There’s not a foreign substance on there. There’s not pine tar. There’s nothing on there. I don’t use that. I was very surprised," he told an MLB reporter after the game.
The glove was confiscated by the league and tested it for pine tar or other sticky substances that allow pitchers to have a better grip on the ball. The test results came back positive, but the league didn't specify what was found, 12 News reported.
Smith and team manager Torey Lovullo insist the spots were dirt and rosin, which MLB allows.
"I'm really pissed. Like I said, if I was cheating, I would be the first one to say 'hey, you caught me, I was cheating.' I'm not stupid. I know the main two things they check are your glove and your hat. If I'm using something, which I wasn't, I wouldn't put it in my glove or my hat. I mean, that's just ignorant," said Smith.
The team will appeal Smith's suspension.
The MLB has been cracking down on pitchers doctoring baseballs this season, CBS Sports reported. Smith is the second pitcher so far to be punished under the crackdown.
Colin Cowherd Predicts the Win/Loss Records of All 32 NFL Teams
Rob Parker Rants on the Hypocrisy Around Kevin Durant's Stance on Marijuana
Why Jimmy Garoppolo's Career as a Starting Quarterback Could Be Over
Which So-Called NFL 'Contenders' You Shouldn't Take Seriously this Season
Colin Cowherd Blasts New York Media For Comparing Zach Wilson to Dan Marino
Why There's a High Chance that Deshaun Watson Will Face Criminal Charges
Why a Judge Rejected the Restraining Order Filed By Trevor Bauer's Accuser
How Deshaun Watson's Daunting Legal Predicament Could Have Been Avoided