Smith argued his case, even had the Mets infield check his hand before he finally left to the dugout.

Of course, an ejection for having sticky stuff is an automatic 10-game suspension, which will have the Mets without a roster spot for that time. They won’t be able to replace Smith on the roster until the suspension is lifted.

"It’s really 12 days, not 10 with the off days," Showalter said when asked about the challenge a suspension brings to the team. "We’ll play short. You ask what kind of challenge? It’s self-explanatory."

“[I was] really surprised because I haven’t done anything different all year," Smith said. "It was sweat and rosin, I don’t know what else to say. Nothing changed and I think the process is so arbitrary. It can change from one crew to the other I think that’s the main issue. It sucks for the team not having a guy for 10 games and being a man down for the roster spot."

Smith said he wasn't sure about an appeal, but won't make a decision until after he speaks with the player's union.

Max Scherzer was the first pitcher this season to be ejected for sticky stuff, which occurred back on April 19 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I’m sure they’ll come out with a statement saying something similar to Max’s saying ‘stickiest hands ever,’” Smith said. “The MLB guy in the tunnel, I forced him to grab my hand and he actually laughed and said there was nothing there. I don’t know what else there is to do.”

Ironically, the Yankees -- the Mets’ opponent on Tuesday -- are the only other team to have a pitcher ejected for the same reason. On May 17, Domingo German was ejected against the Toronto Blue Jays.

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