Diaz is banned for 10 games after being sent off for sticky stuff

Major League Baseball announced Monday that it has suspended Mets closer Edwin Diaz for 10 games for violating its foreign substance policy.

That was a formality after Diaz was ejected on Sunday night. Crew chief Vic Carapazza found Diaz’s right hand to be too sticky during a routine drug test early in the inning and ejected him from the game against the Cubs. In MLB, first-time offenders are typically punished with a 10-game suspension.

The Mets will have to play with fewer players because they are not allowed to add another player to the roster to replace Diaz. Unless he appeals – a process that has never resulted in a reduction or removal of the suspension in these cases – Diaz will be eligible to play again on July 6.

“We’ve been through a lot this year,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Sunday night. “We’ll find a way to get through this. We’ll keep working to get everything back in order.”

In Diaz’s absence, the Mets’ candidates for the ninth inning include Reed Garrett, who has been perhaps their most reliable reliever in the late innings of late. They have also used Drew Smith and Jake Diekman in save situations. Adam Ottavino has done so in the past, but has been moved to a less prominent role in recent weeks.

Smith’s status is at least somewhat uncertain after he described it as “having trouble getting loose” when he replaced Diaz in the ninth inning on Sunday night. Mendoza pulled him from the game after three batters (12 pitches) in favor of Diekman.

“Hopefully it’s nothing serious,” Mendoza said. “We’ll see what we have.”

On Sunday, Diaz said his hand was dirty with rosin, sweat and dirt – which is acceptable as long as it is not too sticky, but that is a subjective variable.

Carapazza had a different opinion regarding the specific substances.

In the end, it didn’t matter much. The umpire’s word is the only thing that counts when MLB imposes a suspension.

“It definitely wasn’t rosin and sweat,” Carapazza told a billiards reporter. “Without question (Diaz’s hand) was way too sticky. It didn’t last very long.”