Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco suspended 10 games for using foreign substance

Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco has been suspended 10 games and fined by Major League Baseball, it was announced on Tuesday. Blanco was ejected from Tuesday night’s game against the Oakland A’s due to the alleged use of foreign substances after the third inning.

The suspension will begin tonight against the A’s and will run until May 26 when Houston will be playing Oakland once again — this time on the road.

“Michael Hill, Major League Baseball’s Senior Vice President of On-Field Operations, announced today that Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco has received a 10-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for violating the prohibitions on foreign substances, which resulted in his ejections prior to the top of the fourth inning of his Club’s Monday, May 14 game against the Oakland Athletics at Minute Maid Park,” a statement read.

“Unless appealed, the suspension of Blanco will become effective tonight, when the Astros are to continue their series vs. Oakland. If Blanco elects to appeal, then the discipline will be held in abeyance until that process is complete.”

When asked about a potential suspension on Tuesday night, Blanco told Astros media members he planned to appeal. No official word has come about the appeal since the suspension was handed out.

Romel Blanco ejected from Tuesday night’s game vs. Oakland

Oakland color commentator Dallas Braden gave his thoughts on the situation, saying he does not believe Blanco was attempting to use sticky stuff. Using a rosen bag is legal in baseball and with the accumulation of sweat while playing in Houston, it can become sticky at times.

“In my humble opinion this is nothing more than an accumulation of ‘stick’ or ‘gunk’ from sweat & repeated use of rosin on a day where it might be dryer in the pool than on land here in Houston,” Braden said via X on Tuesday.

However, the umpiring crew still threw Blanco out of the game and decided to confiscate his glove in the process. Checks are routinely done once innings are completed and according to first base umpire Erich Bacchus, Blanco’s case was as bad as he’s seen in baseball.

“It was the stickiest stuff I’ve felt on a glove since we’ve been doing this for a few years now,” Bacchus told the AP pool reporter following the game.

Blanco pitched three innings last night for Houston, allowing no runs on four hits and a walk. He has been one of the club’s best starting pitchers this season, having a 2.09 ERA with 47.1 innings, 45 strikeouts, and 21 walks.