Alex Cora Discusses Umpires Checking Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer For Substances

Umpires checking pitchers for foreign substances is in full effect, and fans have seen some meltdowns since the rules were put into place Monday.

Major League Baseball now can fine and suspend players if they are caught with a substance on their glove, belt, hat or anywhere on their body or uniform. The first two full days went fine for some teams, as New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom was checked, passed the test and went on to throw five scoreless innings Monday.

Then there was Max Scherzer, who was checked three separate times in four innings Tuesday when the Washington Nationals took on the Philadelphia Phillies. The final time was because Joe Girardi asked the umpires to do so. Scherzer didn’t take too kindly to that as he tossed his hat and glove to the ground before undoing his belt.

Oakland Athletics pitcher Sergio Romo also put on a show after getting checked Tuesday night.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Wednesday he likely won’t be asking umpires to check pitchers the way Girardi did, mainly because of the position he was in with the Houston Astros that came to light two seasons ago.

“And for me to check on a pitcher, on a personal note, it’s like, ‘What are you doing? You messed up two years ago and now you’re trying to point the finger at a guy that has a substance?,'” Cora said over Zoom. “Obviously, at one point, if we have to do it because it’s just out of control and we see it, then we’ll address it. But as of now, I don’t see it.”

But he did have something to say about what’s transpired over the last few days.

“The best on the planet (deGrom), he had no problem with it,” Cora said. “Obviously Max, that was a different situation. It’s something we have the green light to do and obviously they took exception and he got upset. But the other ones, you saw deGrom. He smiled, gave the glove, gave the hat. ‘Check my belt and let me go out there and dominate again. Let me get my ERA to 0.50.’ If the greatest right now — the best on the planet — doesn’t complain like I said yesterday, the other ones should follow suit.”

Some pitchers, like deGrom and Scherzer, are just that good. But we’re sure they constantly will get checked.