Mets' Edwin Diaz 'really surprised' by ejection for sticky stuff against Cubs

Mets closer Edwin Diaz was ejected in Sunday night's win against the Chicago Cubs following a routine sticky stuff inspection in the ninth inning.

Diaz and manager Carlos Mendoza were arguing their case to crew chief Vic Carapazza, but the ejection stood.

He faces an automatic 10-game suspension for the violation.

"I just said I use the same thing as always," Diaz explained after the game. "I rub rosin, sweat, and I put my hand in the dirt a little bit because I need to have some grip on the ball. So that's what I was explaining to them, but they said it was too much stick. I understood. But at the end of the day, I was using rosin, sweat, and put my hand in the dirt.

"I was really surprised because I didn't have anything on my hand, my glove, my belt. They always check my hat, everything. And they thought that was sticky a lot. I said you could check my hand, smell my hand, and they didn't smell anything, but they threw me out of the game."

Diaz said his hands always look like that after using dirt and the same rosin each game. He felt that it was the same stickiness as usual and plans to continue using the same grip method. He believes they thought he was using an illegal substance.

The closer was also asked if he had the opportunity to wash his hands, but said he didn't ask for it.

"I didn't ask for it," Diaz said. "As soon as they saw me, they were trying to throw me out of the game. I understood. That's their job, that's part of the game... I don't know, I didn't ask for it so I don't know."

He added that he will have to talk to his agency about possibly appealing the suspension.

After the game, Mendoza explained what happened.

"They thought it was too much. Diaz kept saying it was rosin, sweat, and dirt. They thought he crossed the line there. Obviously the rules are the rules and they made the decision to throw him out," Mendoza said.

"Vic said, 'That's a little too much and I got to do my job.' And that was all to it."

When asked if he stands by the call, Mendoza acknowledged the rule is in place for a reason.

"Well obviously, the rules are the rules you know. And the MLB is doing what they're doing because they have really good reasons, and we have to stand by. And obviously Diaz went over. We'll feel it because we're going to play short now. We got to move on and obviously we've got to stick to the rules here."

Carapazza claimed after the game that Diaz was using an illegal substance and that was the cause for the ejection.

"It definitely wasn’t rosin and sweat," he told a pool reporter. "We’ve checked thousands of these. I know what that feeling is. This was very sticky."

With the suspension for Diaz looming, the manager believes the team will make it through the adversity.

"Yeah, look, we've been through a lot this year, and we'll find a way to get through it," Mendoza said. "We'll continue to piece it together. Guys are going to have to step up. I'm pretty confident that we'll get guys here that are going to get us to the finish line here when he's done."

He added: "Look, a win is a win. Pretty good road trip here. We'll pay the price and use this as a teaching moment, but guys will find a way to get through it."