Domingo Germán of the New York Yankees Predicts Reduced Use of Rosin - ESPN

In an effort to prevent any further Major League Baseball (MLB) suspensions due to foreign substance violations, Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán announced he will use less rosin on his hands when he returns from a 10-game suspension. Germán was suspended on May 17 and is set to return for Monday’s game in Seattle.

The MLB has been cracking down on pitchers using foreign substances since June 2021. Germán was the fourth pitcher to be suspended due to this violation and the second this season. While there hasn’t been any direct explanation as to what the appropriate amount of rosin to use is, Germán is taking precautionary measures to ensure he doesn’t violate the rule again.

Germán initially got into trouble for having some rosin residue on his pinkie after throwing a pitch. He had asked Hoye, the home plate umpire, to wash the rosin off his hand and some of it remained on his pointer finger. The umpire deemed it excessive and subsequently instructed the MLB to issue a suspension.

Germán discussed his new approach when using rosin at Sunday’s press conference, saying, “I’m going to try to do it more carefully and not make any mistakes. I don’t want that to happen again.” He also mentioned he is hoping to get insight from other pitchers who have been through similar situations.

The use of rosin is a common practice among pitchers; it helps them get a better grip on the ball and allows for improved velocity and accuracy on pitches. While it’s not illegal or banned by the league, the MLB is emphasizing that pitchers must exercise discretion when using it.

Following his suspension, Germán has undoubtedly taken the MLB’s enforcement of the foreign substances rule seriously. By reducing the amount of rosin he uses, it can be assumed Germán will no longer run the risk of violating the rule. Not only is this a smart move on Germán’s part, but it could also serve as helpful advice to other pitchers who may have been skirting around the boundary of the MLB’s regulations.