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Major League Baseball has ejected its first player under its new foreign substance rules.

Seattle Mariners left-hander Hector Santiago was ejected from Sunday’s game against the host Chicago White Sox following a foreign substance inspection.



Santiago, 33, was ejected by home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi during the bottom of the fifth inning. Umpires reportedly kept Santiago’s glove after he allowed one run on three hits while striking out four in 2 1/3 innings. JT Chargois replaced Santiago with one out in the fifth.

After the game, Santiago said he was only using rosin and nothing else.

“What they told me was you can’t use rosin on the glove hand,” Santiago said. “When I use rosin, I dab on both sides. The umpire said you couldn’t use it on the glove hand.”

Santiago Could Face 10-Game Ban

Santiago is the first MLB player to be ejected for a foreign substance violation under the league’s stricter suspension policies, which were instituted on Monday. Santiago faces an automatic 10-game ban, which he will be able to serve with pay.

His glove will be sent to New York and further inspected there.

“Once they take it back and check it, it’s just sweat and rosin,” Santiago said. “If they’re going to do all this science stuff, it’s going to be sweat and rosin. We’ll be alright.”

In nine relief appearances this season, Santiago is 1-1 with a 2.65 ERA. In 266 career games — 139 starts — with the White Sox (2011-13, 2018-2019), Los Angeles Angels (2014-16), Minnesota Twins (2016-17), New York Mets (2019) and Mariners, Santiago is 48-51 with a 4.12 ERA.



Mariners manager Scott Servais defended his Santiago after the game.

“Our guys are doing the right thing,” Servais said. “We’re following the rules.”

–Field Level Media (@FieldLevelMedia)