CINCINNATI — The Yankees narrowly escaped their second sticky-stuff ejection in four days on Friday night.
Before he took the mound for the bottom of the fifth inning of the Yankees’ 6-2 win over the Reds, Clarke Schmidt was inspected by third-base umpire Nestor Ceja, who seemed to find something that led to all four umpires feeling Schmidt’s hands.
The spot in question appeared to be Schmidt’s left hand, and after further conversation with the umpiring crew, the right-hander jogged into the Yankees’ dugout to wash his hands.
A minute or two later, Schmidt returned to the field and had his hands checked by crew chief Brian O’Nora, who cleared him to pitch the fifth inning.
Reds manager David Bell was then ejected for arguing with O’Nora, likely upset that Schmidt was not thrown out of the game.
The scene was reminiscent of April 15, when Domingo German was asked to wash his hands off because he had excessive rosin and then was allowed to stay in the game, which Twins manager Rocco Baldelli got tossed for arguing.
Of course, German was then ejected from Tuesday’s game against the Blue Jays in Toronto before the fourth inning for having a sticky substance on his right hand that umpires deemed was not rosin.
That ejection came with a 10-game suspension that German is currently serving, with the Yankees having to play a man down.
Schmidt, who allowed two runs in five innings, had his best start of the season Friday, and after eventually passing the foreign-substance check, completed his fifth scoreless inning.
Schmidt came out in the sixth inning but promptly gave up a single and a double and was taken out of the game.
Franchy Cordero, who relieved Schmidt, allowed the two inherited runners to score which were charged to Schmidt.