Houston Astros cheat again and pitcher ejected for sticky substance on glove

Are the Houston Astros trying to cheat their way out of the AL West cellar? Times like Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park won’t help their case.

Right-handed pitcher Ronel Blanco was ejected before the start of the fourth inning in a 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics after umpires found a sticky substance inside his glove. Blanco could now face a 10-game suspension, hampering Houston’s rotation, which currently ranks 27th in ERA with 4.78.

Blanco, one of baseball’s stars of 2024, left the dugout and encountered first base umpire Erich Bacchus, who performed a standard check of his glove. After further examination, Bacchus called the other three referees for further inspection.

Crew chief and third base umpire Laz Diaz determined the substance was inadmissible, leading to the ejection. In three innings, Blanco was nearly perfect, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out four A’s.

Blanco’s glove was confiscated by Bacchus, who left the field with it and took it for further examination. After the game, Diaz said the glove would be sent to the league office for the commissioner’s office to determine its actual substance.

“I didn’t know it was illegal. I see other pitchers coming and doing it too, so I thought it was normal.”

– Ronel Blanco on the bottom

Blanco, who is currently 4-0 with a 2.23 ERA in seven starts, said the substance was rosin that he put on his forearm and sweat flowing made the glove sticky. Diaz said the crew couldn’t determine the actual substance, although it was sticky enough to get your fingers stuck.

Blanco and the Astros manager Joe Espada tried to plead his case to let him use a new glove and continue pitching, but the decision had already been made. The right-hander is now awaiting a decision from the league office to determine whether he will be suspended, although Blanco, through a Spanish interpretersaid he would appeal given it was his first offense.

“It’s obviously something that’s extremely frustrating. I want to go out there and compete and try to help the team and I can’t.”

– Ronel Blanco on the call

The Astros (17-25), who illegally used a camera system to steal signs during the 2017 regular season and postseason en route to their first World Series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers, currently occupy the fourth place in the AL West behind Seattle, Texas and Oakland.

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