MLB PLAYER NEWS

Brewers LHP Smith gets 8-game ban, will appeal

The Sports Xchange

May 22, 2015 at 3:10 pm.

May 21, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Will Smith (13) reacts after he was ejected from the game against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Turner Field. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Milwaukee Brewers left-handed reliever Will Smith was suspended eight games by Major League Baseball for having a foreign substance on his right forearm during Thursday night’s game.

Smith, who was ejected in the seventh inning of a 10-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves, has decided to appeal the suspension announced Friday. He will be eligible to pitch until the appeal process is complete.

With the bases loaded and one out, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez approached home plate umpire Chris Segal to complain that Smith had a foreign substance on his forearm. Crew chief Jim Joyce walked to the mound, touched Smith’s arm and immediately ejected the infuriated left-hander, who was shown screaming at Gonzalez as he left the field.

“It was about as plain as it could be,” Gonzalez said. “It’s pretty blatant, really. It’s glistening through the lights. You could see it in the dugout.”

Smith confirmed that he put the substance — a mixture of rosin and sunscreen — on his right forearm before warming up in the bullpen to get a better grip on the ball and forgot to wipe it off before entering the game.

“It was chilly and kind of windy,” Smith said. “I had rosin and sunscreen on my arm. I just forgot to wipe it off before I went out and pitched. I had to kind of get ready in a hurry. I just forgot. That’s it.”

Smith is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA in 19 appearances over 12 2/3 innings this season.