Mets Call For Illegal Substance Check On Joe Musgrove

Joe Musgrove had held the Mets to one hit through five innings of Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series on Sunday night. The right-hander for the Padres was as dominant as he has been since signing a two-month-old $100 million contract extension, which he did with games like this in mind.

Musgrove’s performance seemed too good to be true to Mets manager Buck Showalter. He also sought to find a way to disrupt Musgrove’s seemingly unstoppable rhythm, at the very least.

Whatever the cause, it resulted in an odd spectacle during the Padres’ 6-0 victory at Citi Field to seal the series. Showalter requested that the umpiring staff looked for any foreign objects when Musgrove came out to pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The umpires gathered, had a brief talk, and then went to Musgrove. Musgrove was told by crew chief Alfonso Márquez that he needed to examine his hat, hands, face, and — in the night’s enduring image — his ears.

You take anything you want, man, I told you,” Musgrove said. “He checked everything. Nothing was found. And I went back to work.

And basically, that is how it went. Musgrove claimed that his seven innings of the one-hit ball were the best of his career, even better than his well-known no-hitter from 2021 that ended the drought. San Diego qualified for the NL Division Series by virtue of the work of the Padres’ bullpen.

Musgrove stated, “At the time in the game when it happened, I was so keyed in already. “Every pitch I made felt terrific. My sense of execution was strong. So it almost immediately ignited a fire within me.”

What Did Mets Have To Say About “Joe Musgrove checking” Post-Game?

Showalter was questioned about his decision to check Musgrove after the game. He mentioned that “spin rates and different things” had caught his attention.

I’m responsible for acting in the New York Mets’ best interests, Showalter stated. “I’m going to do it every time and deal with the repercussions if it makes me seem as it makes me appear.

“I’m not here to save anyone’s feelings hurt. I’ll act in our players’ and the New York Mets’ best interests. That, in my opinion, is the best course of action for us at the moment. There are a few rather clear reasons why it was required.

Musgrove was subjected to “cheater” yells from Mets supporters after the inspection, but it was obvious that Musgrove was unfazed. Márquez’s examination, however, seemed to demonstrate the opposite, if nothing else.

Buck only asked that we search for a prohibited substance, Márquez claimed. “The crew took that action. He was examined, but nothing was found.

Starting pitchers are likely to be tested more than once per game, while relievers are checked when they enter the game or at the end of an inning, according to the letter sent by MLB to teams prior to the 2022 season. Umpires were told to make their checks “more attentive and unpredictable in the timing and scope.” The umpires listened to Showalter’s suggestion and acted appropriately.

 

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