The first instance of a pitcher being ejected following a "sticky stuff" check came Sunday, less than a week after MLB announced it would enforce its foreign-substance policy.
Héctor Santiago of the Seattle Mariners left Sunday's game against the Chicago White Sox and underwent the now league-mandated inspection of his hat and glove by umpires as he came off the field. The inspection ended with Santiago's glove being confiscated by the umpires and Santiago being ejected from the game.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
It's somewhat fitting that the first ejection under the new strict enforcement of baseball's rules on foreign substances came on the South Side, where umpire Joe West's confiscation of St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Giovanny Gallegos' hat in May sparked commissioner Rob Manfred to take action and step up enforcement.
The 33-year-old Santiago, a 10-year major league veteran, pitched for the White Sox in three separate stints and has also been on the Angels, Twins and Mets.
Sunday marked his ninth appearance with the Mariners this season. He pitched last Wednesday, after baseball's "sticky stuff" inspections began. He was in Sunday's game as a reliever, picking up in the third inning after the game was suspended due to rain a day earlier.
If Santiago is found to be in violation of the rules on pitchers using foreign substances, he would be subject to a 10-game suspension, per the commissioner's crackdown.