New York Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda was ejected Wednesday night for having pine tar on his neck while pitching against the Boston Red Sox. Pineda admitted to using the banned substance out of concern he would throw a wild pitch and hit an opposing batter, ESPN reports. Watch the video below.
Home plate umpire and crew chief Gerry Davis ejected Pineda in the second inning after finding pine tar on the pitcher's neck. Davis became aware of the substance after Red Sox manager John Farrell went onto the field and complained.
"It was a really cold night and in the first inning I (couldn't) feel the ball," Pineda said after the game, via ESPN. "I don't want to like hit anybody so I decided to use it. ...
"I know I made a mistake today, and I feel so sad. I learn from this mistake. It won't happen again."
Farrell was likely on the lookout for any visible illegal substance on Pineda, whom Farrell accused on April 10 of using pine tar. While Farrell understood Pineda's rationale for using pine tar, a substance that isn't uncommon in baseball, he couldn't ignore how blatantly obvious it was on Pineda's neck Wednesday night.
"I fully respect that on a cold night, you're trying to get a grip, but when it's that obvious something has got to be said," Farrell told reporters.
New York went on to lose, 5-1.
Despite having to use four relief pitchers in the loss, Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters he isn't angry with Pineda.
"He's a young kid," Girardi said. "I don't think he's trying to do anything to cheat, I think he's trying to just go out there and compete. He used bad judgment tonight. He'll admit to that."
