New York Mets fans react as reliever Drew Smith not appealing 10-game suspension for use of foreign substances: "I’m not sure the cheating works" 

New York Mets reliever Drew Smith will not appeal the 10-game suspension he received for the use of foreign substances.

Smith became the third MLB pitcher this season to be suspended after being found with "sticky hands" while attempting to pitch in Tuesday's game against the New York Yankees. His Mets teammate Max Scherzer and Yankees starter Domingo German also suffered the same fate earlier in the 2023 campaign.

Scherzer was ejected from a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 19.

Drew Smith was the fourth reliever the New York Mets brought on after Scherzer was rocked for six earned runs in 3-1/3 innings in a 7-6 loss to the Yankees. His hands were checked by umpire Bill Miller after he came in from the bullpen in the seventh inning, and was promptly ejected from the contest.

It's been a rough season for Drew Smith, whose ERA of 4.18 is nearly a full run higher than his career ERA of 3.39. He's pitched in 26 games this season, striking out 28 batters in 23-2/3 innings of work.

Smith is the fourth pitcher in the New York Mets organization to be suspended this season, joining Scherzer and Triple-A Syracuse hurlers Dylan Bundy and Eric Orze.

Drew Smith's troubles are a microcosm of the New York Mets' disastrous season so far. The Mets have an MLB-record payroll of roughly $364 million committed to the 2023 campaign. However, owner Steve Cohen is getting awful returns on his investment.

New York has lost nine of its last 10 games and sits 10 games behind the National League East-leading Atlanta Braves with a 31-36 record. The Mets are just four games better than the last-placed Washington Nationals.

Smith told reporters after Tuesday's game:

"They said both of my hands were too sticky. Really surprised, because I haven’t done anything different all year. Sweat and rosin. I don’t know what else to say. Nothing changed. It’s just, I think the process is so arbitrary. It can change from one crew to the other, and I think that’s the main issue."

Drew Smith can return to New York Mets on June 26

Manager Buck Showalter #11 of the New York Mets escorts relief pitcher Drew Smith #40 after Smith was thrown out of the game

Smith's suspension means that he will be unavailable to the Mets until Monday, June 26. He will miss series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, and Philadelphia Phillies.