The use of substances to improve the grip of the ball will be penalized by MLB, as announced by the league itself on Tuesday.
Official Rules 3.01 and 6.02 prohibit pitchers from using "foreign substances" on balls. But these regulations are constantly violated and have been forgotten.
Given this scenario, MLB has decided to activate new protocols to enforce the rules and they include regular reviews of all pitchers, regardless of whether the opposing manager requests it or not.
Any pitcher who applies a foreign (sticky) substance to the ball since June 21 will be ejected from the game and suspended for 10 games.
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Repeat offenders will be sanctioned progressively. And teams will be subject to penalties for failing to enforce the rules.
unfair advantage
MLB has been researching and found that this feature significantly increases the rate of rotation and movement of the ball, giving pitchers an unfair advantage.
In addition, it contributes to a pitching style in which location is sacrificed in favor of rotations and speed.
“After two months of investigations… I have determined to make a new effort to enforce the rules prohibiting foreign substances. It's needed to match the competitive level,” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manred.
“I understand there is a history of foreign substances being applied to the ball, but what we are seeing today is quite different…stronger substances being used more frequently than ever before,” he warned.
