Mets Rumors: 'Everyone in Baseball' Expects Max Scherzer Foreign Substance Suspension

The New York Mets are already without Justin Verlander because of a shoulder injury and are widely expected to be without Max Scherzer as well because of a looming suspension.

Scherzer was ejected from Wednesday's start against the Los Angeles Dodgers after umpires checked his hands and glove for foreign substances. Players are subjected to 10-game suspensions for violating Major League Baseball's rules on foreign substances.

According to Andy Martino of SNY, "everyone in baseball knows that a suspension is coming."

Scherzer was seen insisting to umpires that he was just using rosin, and Mets manager Buck Showalter told reporters: "It was rosin, and it's what the league provides for us. So if that's the case, then I think everyone is going to have a problem."

While pitchers are permitted to use rosin in an effort to help them grip the baseball, Martino explained the right-hander's denials that he used anything else "will not prove relevant to the discipline issue."

That is because the league distributed a memo this spring that said "player use of rosin must be consistent within the requirements and expectations of the Official Baseball Rules. When used excessively or otherwise misapplied …. rosin may be determined by the umpires to be a prohibited foreign substance, the use of which may subject a player to discipline."

Scherzer and all pitchers were aware the league was focusing on preventing the use of sticky substances to impact spin rate this year.

Jayson Stark of The Athletic reported in February that teams were warned umpires were encouraged to "refocus on the use of sticky stuff this season" even though pitcher checks started during the 2021 campaign.

Still, the timing is less than ideal for the Mets.

They are already without Verlander (teres major strain), José Quintana (rib surgery) and Carlos Carrasco (bone spur in his elbow). They have done a solid job of treading water at 12-7 in the early portion of the season, but that can only be expected to keep up for so long without a number of their important pitchers.

Scherzer can appeal and delay his impending punishment some, but the National League East team will likely feel his absence as it works through so much other attrition.