Baltimore Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz has been suspended eight games after umpires found a foreign substance on his arm in Saturday’s 1-0 loss to the Miami Marlins, Major League Baseball announced Monday.
Matusz will appeal the penalty. He will be eligible to play until the appeal is heard.
The lefty reliever was ejected in the 12th inning of Saturday’s game when Marlins manager Dan Jennings asked home plate umpire Jordan Baker to inspect Matusz’s arm. Baker and crew chief Paul Emmel then found what they described as a “foreign substance.”
“We’re not going to address the issue right now,” Matusz said after the game, per ESPN.com. “Obviously I have my own personal opinions about the issue, but right now with emotions running high we’re going to let this settle and address questions at a later time.”
Matusz is the second pitcher to be suspended in the last week for allegedly using a foreign substance. Brewers pitcher Will Smith was given an eight-game suspension after umpires found a substance on his arm in last Thursday’s 10-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Smith is also appealing his penalty.
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports weighed in on the length of the penalty:
Matusz, 28, has a 1-2 record with a 3.18 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 14 appearances this season.
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