Hector Santiago could face a 10-game suspension. The Seattle Mariners will not be able replace Santiago on the roster during this suspension.
Hector Santiago, Seattle Mariners, is the first to be expelled for violating the new foreign substances policy
Although it’s unlikely that Hector Santiago intended to be in the MLB records, he is now the first to be ejected from the league for violating its foreign substance policy. The umpires can eject players, but it is only official when the league declares it a violation.
Santiago’s glove was taken and placed in a bag to be analyzed by the New York league officials. According to the Seattle Mariners manager and veteran pitcher, there will not be a suspension.
Hector spoke with the media, saying that he used only rosin. This is not illegal. Although it appears that sweat and rosin made a sticky substance, technically this is legal. Crew chief Tom Hallion, the umpire, stated that Santiago had a sticky substance on his glove’s inside palm.
Although some people are quick to accuse Hector Santiago of cheating, we need to be patient. The substance in Santiago’s glove is not finalized until Major League Baseball inspects it.
Hector Santiago is also a veteran of the game so I wouldn’t expect him to break any new substance rules. His reaction to the situation was honest and his statements to media were also very honest. This makes me believe he was only using rosin.
