Mets closer Edwin Díaz suspended for 10 games due to foreign body poisoning

New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz has been suspended for 10 games and fined an undisclosed amount for violating the ban on foreign substances, Major League Baseball announced Monday.

The suspension, issued by MLB senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill, will take effect Tuesday when the Mets host the New York Yankees at Citi Field unless he appeals the disciplinary action. If Díaz appeals to MLB special assistant John McHale Jr., the punishment will be stayed pending the outcome of the disciplinary process.

Díaz was ejected in the ninth inning of the Mets’ 5-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night before stepping onto the mound after a sticky, discolored substance was found on Díaz’s hand. The umpire ruled he would not allow the Mets to play.

Díaz, 30, told reporters he only uses rosin, sweat and dirt on his hands.

“I always use the same thing,” he said. “I rub rosin and sweat on it and stick my hand in the dirt a little bit so I can grip the ball better. … I was really surprised because I didn’t have anything on my hand, glove or belt. They always check everything.”

Carapazza said in a post-game pool report that it was “definitely not rosin and sweat” on Díaz’s hand.

“We checked thousands of them,” said Carapazza. “I know the feeling. It was very tricky.”

Both Díaz and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said they believed the umpire had too much of a mixture of rosin, sweat and dirt on the pitcher’s throwing hand.

“Rules are rules, and they made the decision to kick him out,” Mendoza said.

Díaz, a two-time All-Star, has struggled this season, with just seven saves and a 4.70 ERA. He missed all of last season due to a knee injury sustained while celebrating a Puerto Rico victory in the World Baseball Classic, and spent about two weeks on the injured list this season due to a shoulder problem before returning to action on June 13.

Díaz is the eighth pitcher suspended for sticky substances since MLB cracked down on pitchers trying to use foreign substances to improve their grip and spin rate in 2021. Three of them were Mets, including Max Scherzer and Drew Smith last year.

Ronel Blanco of the Houston Astros was suspended on May 15.

ESPN’s Jesse Rogers and The Associated Press contributed to this report.