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Brian Matusz gets 8-game suspension for foreign substance on arm
Baltimore Orioles reliever Brian Matusz, who was ejected Saturday for using a sticky substance that was on his right arm, was suspended eight games by Major League Baseball on Monday.
Matusz, who declined to address the issue after Saturday's 1-0 loss to the Marlins, has appealed the decision and is available to pitch in Monday's game against the Houston Astros in Baltimore.
Matusz was the second pitcher in less than a week to be suspended for having a foreign substance on his arm by Joe Garagiola Jr., the MLB senior vice president of standards and on-field operations. Brewers pitcher Will Smith also appealed, which has yet to be heard, after getting an eight-game ban Thursday.
Matusz entered the game in the 12th with the score 0-0 and retired the first two batters before Marlins manager Dan Jennings approached home plate umpire Jordan Baker. Baker and crew chief Paul Emmel then went to the mound to inspect Matusz's arm.
"I went out there and told the pitcher I was going to touch his right forearm," Emmel said. "That's where he was touching before he went to the ball. I detected a foreign substance, so the pitcher was ejected."
Although Matusz remains with the Orioles, manager Buck Showalter said Sunday the team has an idea of what it'll do once the appeal process is completed.
"I'm more focused on getting through today, try to win a game, and see what each day brings," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said before Monday's game. "It's completely in their hands. I don't know what they're going to do. But we have to be ready to react quickly."
Showalter said the length of the suspension probably had much to do with the sentence Smith received.
"They're basing it off precedent," Showalter said. "Each case is different; that's why you have the appeal process. To make sure it's not just some blanket punishment. You've got to start somewhere and work from there."
Matusz is 1-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 14 games. He has limited left-handed batters to a .185 batting average.
Matusz, who declined to address the issue after Saturday's 1-0 loss to the Marlins, has appealed the decision and is available to pitch in Monday's game against the Houston Astros in Baltimore.
Matusz was the second pitcher in less than a week to be suspended for having a foreign substance on his arm by Joe Garagiola Jr., the MLB senior vice president of standards and on-field operations. Brewers pitcher Will Smith also appealed, which has yet to be heard, after getting an eight-game ban Thursday.
Matusz entered the game in the 12th with the score 0-0 and retired the first two batters before Marlins manager Dan Jennings approached home plate umpire Jordan Baker. Baker and crew chief Paul Emmel then went to the mound to inspect Matusz's arm.
"I went out there and told the pitcher I was going to touch his right forearm," Emmel said. "That's where he was touching before he went to the ball. I detected a foreign substance, so the pitcher was ejected."
Although Matusz remains with the Orioles, manager Buck Showalter said Sunday the team has an idea of what it'll do once the appeal process is completed.
"I'm more focused on getting through today, try to win a game, and see what each day brings," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said before Monday's game. "It's completely in their hands. I don't know what they're going to do. But we have to be ready to react quickly."
Showalter said the length of the suspension probably had much to do with the sentence Smith received.
"They're basing it off precedent," Showalter said. "Each case is different; that's why you have the appeal process. To make sure it's not just some blanket punishment. You've got to start somewhere and work from there."
Matusz is 1-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 14 games. He has limited left-handed batters to a .185 batting average.