Major League Baseball’s new crackdown on foreign substances took center stage during a wild Nationals game featuring Max Scherzer and Phillies manager Joe Girardi. Scherzer, one of the league’s top pitchers, underwent multiple substance checks during the game. After routine inspections in the first and third innings, Scherzer looked annoyed but complied, even joking about his bald spot being exposed. Things escalated in the fourth inning when Girardi asked for another check after seeing Scherzer repeatedly touch his hair. Umpires gathered and, for the third time, examined Scherzer, who was visibly frustrated and kept repeating that he had nothing on him—just sweat.
Despite the disruption, Scherzer mowed down the Phillies lineup through five innings. After the final out of the fifth, he stared down Girardi on his way to the dugout. Girardi didn’t back down, stepping up to the top dugout step. Meanwhile, Nationals hitting coach Kevin Long—Girardi’s former coaching partner with the Yankees—joined the fray from the Nationals’ side, yelling expletives in Girardi’s direction. Girardi, clearly fired up, shouted back at Kevin Long, not Scherzer as many fans initially believed. The umpires quickly ejected Girardi as tensions boiled over.
Scherzer was never found using any illegal substances and seemed to relish showing off his glove, hat, belt, and sweat-drenched hair to prove his innocence. Nationals manager Davey Martinez and other coaches also got animated, with mock “hold me back” antics in the dugout. The league’s new rules got a full stress test, and Scherzer made it clear he wasn’t happy about it—but he still dominated on the mound.