"I used substances, I'd say about 80% of the league did" - Former Dodgers pitcher reflects on the decline in sticky substance use post-MLB crackdown

New York Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz was ejected on Sunday during their game against the Chicago Cubs. In the ninth inning, before he started his outing, the umpires checked his hands for any illegal substances.

They noticed some sticky substance on Diaz’s hands, and he was eventually ejected before he could start pitching. Recently, Baltimore Orioles pitcher Danny Coulombe talked about how fewer pitchers are using sticky substances since MLB started enforcing stricter rules.

Coulombe appeared on the Foul Territory podcast on Monday and spoke about how the MLB needs to be clearer about what substances pitchers can and can't use.

Talking about the issue, he said:

"It's definitely causing a paranoia. Before the sticky checks, I used substances, and I'd say about 80% of the league did. Trying to figure out how to throw without it, and then, if you get caught, you get busted for something that you're not using anymore, it's really frustrating.”

He added:

“In my opinion, I wish they had some sort of criteria they could do, but I just don't know how they could enforce that."

Danny Coulombe revealed that he had used sticky substances in the past. He noted that most pitchers were doing the same before MLB's crackdown.

Coulombe started his major league career with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2014. For the 2024 season, he agreed to a one-year, $2.3 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles in January to avoid a salary arbitration hearing.

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Danny Coulombe reveals pitchers are afraid of being penalized for having substances that are allowed but restricted

During his ejection on Sunday, Edwin Diaz continued to claim to use only rosin which is allowed in MLB with some restrictions. However, umpires determined otherwise, citing the substance as noticeably sticky, and ejected him.

Talking about the confusion that the pitchers face, Danny Coulombe said:

“There's too much gray (area). There's nobody on our team that's using anything, so it's like, they're just scared to get busted for just having the stuff that's out there. It's just hard when it's a substance that's given to you, but you can't use too much of it. It's just such a gray area."

The penalty Edwin Diaz will face is a 10-game suspension, which automatically follows an ejection for using a sticky substance.