It was supposed to be just another day at the ballpark for Max Scherzer, but it quickly turned into a frustrating one when he was ejected from the game between the Mets and the Dodgers on April 19, 2023. The reason? He appeared to have failed a foreign substance check, as part of baseball's ongoing crackdown on "sticky stuff". But did he really use an illegal substance, or was it just sweat and rosin, as he claimed?

The incident occurred in the fourth inning, with Scherzer having pitched three scoreless innings of one-hit ball before his early exit. According to reports, umpire Phil Cuzzi had determined that Scherzer's hand was too sticky to possibly be legal. Scherzer, however, vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and even swore on his children's lives that he put nothing but sweat and rosin on his hands.

"I don't get how I get ejected when I'm in front of MLB officials doing exactly what you want and being deemed my hand is too sticky when I'm using legal substances," Scherzer told reporters after the game.

Scherzer's frustration was palpable, as he engaged in an animated discussion with the umpiring crew before being tossed after a lengthy conversation. He repeatedly shouted "it's just rosin", which is a legal substance under MLB rules – a statement corroborated by SNY dugout reporter Steve Gelbs.

The trouble started after the second inning, when Cuzzi determined Scherzer's hand was stickier and darker than normal. Cuzzi ordered Scherzer to wash his hand, which Scherzer said he did with alcohol while a Major League Baseball official watched. After the third inning, Cuzzi then determined the pocket of Scherzer's glove was "sticky," likely with too much rosin, and he ordered Scherzer to change gloves. The umpires then checked Scherzer again before the fourth, and his hands were even worse than before.

This is not the first time that Scherzer has had issues with foreign substance checks. During a game in 2021, Scherzer disrobed after umpires checked him for sticky stuff. He has been a vocal critic of the crackdown and believes that the use of rosin and sweat should be allowed to help pitchers grip the ball.

The incident has sparked a debate among fans and analysts alike, with some questioning the validity of baseball's crackdown on foreign substances. Others, however, argue that the rule is necessary to ensure a level playing field and protect the integrity of the game.

Regardless of one's stance on the matter, there's no denying that Scherzer's ejection could have a significant impact on his team, the New York Mets. Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, is one of the team's top pitchers and a key part of their rotation. If he is suspended for 10 games, as per the rule, it could potentially hurt the team's chances of making the playoffs.

Only time will tell what the fallout from this incident will be, but one thing is for certain: baseball's sticky stuff crackdown is here to stay, and players will need to be more careful than ever before when it comes to what they put on their hands.