MLB Outlines Plan for Umpires to Check Pitchers' Hands for Foreign Substances

Major League Baseball is making changes to the rule that allows umpires to check pitchers for foreign substances in 2022. 

Per Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci, the league issued a memo to all 30 teams Friday outlining the plan that allows for umpires to inspect the top and bottom of a pitcher's hand during random between-inning inspections. 

The umpires are also still allowed to check the pitcher's hat, belt and glove, as was the case last season.

According to Verducci, MLB's memo is a "tacit admission that pitchers began cheating again late last season as they learned workarounds to the routine checks by umpires."

Per the memo, umpires will have the authority to eject a pitcher if an inspection "reveals that the pitcher’s hand is unquestionably sticky or shows unmistakable signs of the presence of a foreign substance" to gain an unfair advantage. 

In addition to the ejection, pitchers are also be subject to an automatic 10-game suspension if a violation occurs. 

MLB announced in the middle of last season there would be increased enforcement of the rule that prohibits applying foreign substances to the ball.

Verducci noted fastball and slider spin rates significantly increased late in the 2021 season after dropping when the league implemented the inspection rule on June 21. 

Umpires were allowed to check a pitcher's hat, belt and glove for any potential foreign substances on their person. Starters were inspected twice per game. Relievers were inspected either at the end of their inning or when they are removed from the game, depending on which came first. 

Relievers Hector Santiago (Seattle Mariners) and Caleb Smith (Arizona Diamondbacks) were the first two pitchers ejected from games last season because of findings from an inspection. Chicago White Sox ace Lance Lynn was also ejected from a start against the Oakland Athletics, but it was because he appeared to throw his belt at the umpire during a check.