Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler has been grappling with a blister problem that caused him to start in only 3 games throughout September. The team has been working tirelessly to manage the issue so that he could pitch in the Wild Card game on Wednesday.
The blister became the focal point of the ESPN broadcast, with the crew zooming in on the troubling blister for a close examination.
During the ESPN broadcast, Eduardo Perez made a reference to the rulebook and implied that Walker Buehler might be using an illegal substance on his blister to aid its healing.
The rule he cited can be found in the MLB rulebook:
“The pitcher may not attach anything to either hand, any finger or either wrist (e.g., Band-Aid,tape, Super Glue, bracelet, etc.). The umpire shall determine if such attachment is indeed a foreign substance for the purpose of Rule 6.02(c)(7), but in no case may the pitcher be allowed to pitch with such attachment to his hand, finger, or wrist.”
Perez appeared to suggest that the Dodgers might be bending the rules based on the appearance of Buehler’s hand.
Despite the controversy, the Dodgers managed to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers and take a 1-0 lead in the series.
