Astros’ Ronel Blanco Suspended 10 Games For Using Illegal Substance

Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco has been suspended 10 games for using an illegal substance on the mound. He will not appeal the decision.

Blanco was caught with a sticky substance in his glove before the fourth inning of Houston’s game Tuesday against the Athletics. He was ejected after umpires ruled that the substance was explicitly illegal.

“I felt something inside the glove,” umpire Erich Bacchus said after the game. “It was the stickiest stuff I’ve felt on a glove since we’ve been doing this for a few years now.”

Blanco claims that he did not know it was against the rules to use rosin on his non-dominant hand and admitted to putting some on his forearm. He claims that his sweat could have transmitted some of the rosin to his glove, resulting in the failed inspection. This conflicts the report given by umpires, who ruled out rosin in the moment.  

After some consideration with his agent, Blanco eventually decided not to contest MLB’s decision. Astros general manager Dana Brown vouched for the pitcher after the ruling was announced.

“Ronel Blanco is a good human being, he’s a good dude, and he’s worked his butt off to get into the starting rotation,” Brown said. “I think he sees it as ‘Look, I don’t want to extend this any longer. I want to get back to the business of pitching.’”

Blanco has been lights-out early in his third MLB season, earning a 4-0 record and 2.09 ERA through eight starts. The shining jewel in his young career came in early April, when he threw a no-hitter in his eighth career start. He has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing Astros season, as the perennial World Series contenders are currently 18-25, fourth in the A.L. West division.

Blanco’s suspension began Wednesday night and should result in two missed starts, which could give Houston short-term rotation problems. He will be available to pitch again in late May.