Astros’ Ronel Blanco suspended 10 games after glove-check ejection

Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco was handed a 10-game suspension by MLB on Wednesday for violating the league’s rules against foreign substances. The suspension, announced by MLB’s senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill, comes after Blanco was ejected from Tuesday’s game against the Oakland Athletics.

Blanco was ejected by third base umpire Laz Diaz at the start of the fourth inning after umpires discovered a foreign substance on his glove. According to first base umpire Erich Bacchus, who conducted the check, it was “the stickiest stuff I’ve felt on a glove.”

The ejection followed a discussion between the umpires, Blanco, and Astros manager Joe Espada on the mound. Bacchus mentioned that there was no foreign substance on Blanco’s glove during his first check in the middle of the first inning, but it was discovered during the second check before the fourth inning.

Bacchus described the substance as “the stickiest stuff” he had felt during his tenure conducting such checks.

Blanco denied using any illegal substance, suggesting that it may have been rosin transferred from his left arm due to sweat.

Astros manager Espada also noted observing “white powder” inside Blanco’s glove, which he believed to be rosin. However, he acknowledged that using rosin on the non-pitching hand is not allowed.

Blanco, who threw a no-hitter in his season debut, had pitched three scoreless innings before being ejected from the game. He currently holds a 2.09 ERA for the season.