An unexpected situation around Sonny Gray sparked conversation after the second game of the Wild Card series between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.
During the transmission, images of the Boston launcher began to circulate, repeatedly touching an area of his neck where some type of residue seemed to exist. The images quickly sparked speculation on social media about the possibility that Gray was using a substance to improve the ball's grip.
However, so far there is no confirmation that the law has used an illegal substance. Neither was he expelled or sanctioned during the match.
Referees reviewed Sonny Gray during the match
According to information reported after the game, the referees carried out checks on Gray during his opening.
The pitcher was checked after his entries, including his hands, glove, and cap, as part of the procedures established by Major League Baseball to detect possible prohibited substances.
None of those inspections caused a public expulsion or warning during the match.
It was also reported that MLB observed data related to the movement of its launches, especially the turning rate, without detecting an unusual variation from the levels Gray had recorded during the regular season.
The images of the neck caused speculation in networks
The controversy arose mainly from the videos that began to circulate after the meeting.
In various sequences, Gray is seen bringing his hand to the neck during his work on the mound. At a certain moment a mark or residue could also be seen in that area.
Some amateurs and content creators interpreted the images as a possible sign of the use of a sticky substance. Others noted that a combination of sweat, resin, or other normal elements during a match could also produce a similar appearance.
For now, none of those interpretations constitutes sufficient evidence to claim that Gray has committed a violation.
There was no confirmed infraction against Gray
That point is important.
That an image generates suspicions on social networks does not automatically mean that there is a violation of the MLB rules.
Gray remained in the game until the Boston leader decided to retire him in the fifth inning. His departure was a strategic decision and was not accompanied by an expulsion of the referees related to foreign substances.
The pitcher ended up working four innings and two thirds before handing the ball to the bullpen.
Gray kept the Yankees in a closed match
Before his departure, Gray had managed to keep Boston in the game.
The Yankees took advantage with a home run from Luis García Jr. in the fourth inning and the score was still closed when the starter was removed after 70 pitches.
Boston's decision ended up generating a different controversy, because Gray later expressed that he considered that he could continue at the meeting.
The Red Sox bullpen failed to contain New York and the Yankees ended up exploding with six runs in the sixth inning on the way to a 9-2 victory.
The Yankees ended up eliminating Boston
The discussion around Gray ended up becoming a side story after the end result.
New York completed the Wild Card sweep and eliminated Boston for the second consecutive year. The Yankees won both series games and far outnumbered the Red Sox from both the mound and offense.
Max Fried pitched six innings of a run in the second match, while Cody Bellinger produced four runs and hit the home run that ended up breaking the match.
The victory sent the Yankees to the American League Division Series to face the Tampa Bay Rays.
Gray's situation is left without an official accusation
Until now, the concrete thing is that the images generated questions, the referees carried out their controls and Gray finished his opening without being expelled.
Later reports indicated that no major anomalies were observed in the turning data of their launches.
Therefore, it would be incorrect to say that Gray cheated or used a prohibited substance without an official determination to support that accusation.
The sequence will continue to be the subject of debate among fans, especially because of the number of times the right hand held his hand to his neck, but the facts confirmed so far do not allow us to go beyond pointing out that there were doubts and that the pitcher was reviewed during the meeting.