Robert Suarez Explains Decision to Appeal Suspension

Robert Suarez seemed ready to go out and pitch the eight inning of the series finale on Wednesday against the Marlins, but as he was on his way in, he was ejected from the game for a foreign substance violation on his left wrist.

Suarez claims that the "sticky stuff" was just sunscreen, and that he was wrongfully thrown out of the game for it. He's decided to appeal the automatic 10-day suspension that comes with the ejection. 

His reasoning behind it:

“It’s just defending myself in terms that I didn’t use any single foreign substance… My point is, I wasn’t using anything illegal. They contend that it was something. But from my point of view from what I did, nothing was wrong.”

via San Diego Union-Tribune

The history of appealing a suspension like this definitely doesn't side in Suarez's favor.

When two players, Héctor Santiago and Caleb Smith, were caught with sticky stuff in 2021, they both appealed, and neither of them won. 

They've been the only two players to ever appeal a sticky stuff suspension, and so far, it's MLB 2, players 0.

If Suarez's suspension is upheld, it kind of puts the Padres in a very sticky situation. They might lose one of the league's best setup guys, and in a time when they need as many wins as they could get, having an elite arm out of the bullpen rotation would throw a wrench into what is already going to be an uphill battle.

But, as for now, until his suspension is heard, Suarez will remain in the bullpen and available to pitch for the Padres up until the moment word comes back about the decision.

Suarez has only appeared in 14 games this season after recovering from an elbow injury, and he's on the right track to get some quality work in during a crucial time in the Padres' hopeful push for a postseason berth, but a suspension right now would certainly not be a good thing for Suarez.

Do you think he'll be the first one ever to win a suspension appeal?