Dodgers pitcher Michael Grove had a rough inning right after the umpires made him change his pants

There is nothing quite like the paranoia you see from baseball teams at the slightest suspicion of a pitcher using illegal substances. It apparently can lead to a clothing change.

During Monday night’s game between the Dodgers and Blue Jays, Los Angeles starter Michael Grove was cruising through four innings. In those innings, he had allowed just four hits, no runs and racked up six strikeouts. It had all the makings of a deep outing, but the Blue Jays noticed something was up with Grove’s right pant leg.

There was a noticeable dark spot around the thigh, and Grove was seen going to that leg with his throwing hard between pitches.

Sticky Business. pic.twitter.com/Q3yM7ULEKT

— Chris Black (@DownToBlack) July 25, 2023

That raised some obvious alarms about sticky substances, and the Blue Jays evidently voiced those concerns to Jeff Nelson and the umpiring crew. When Grove returned to the mound in the fifth inning, the dark spot on the pants was gone. It was clear: Grove had changed his pants between innings.

Looks like Michael Grove changed pants between the fourth and fifth innings

He gave up four hits and the game-tying run in the fifth, then got pulled pic.twitter.com/tQUVw2u8c2

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) July 25, 2023

Now, the umpires did their customary check for sticky substances on Grove, and if they found anything out of the ordinary, Grove should have been ejected. But we’ve seen umpires circumvent those rules and give pitchers an opportunity to wash their hands instead of an automatic ejection as required. Grove said that the umpires told him the request to have his pants checked came from the Blue Jays dugout.

Michael Grove breaks down his mistakes and the reason for his change of pants. pic.twitter.com/ZnTns2rJ47

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) July 25, 2023

Whether it was gamesmanship from the Blue Jays or a genuine concern, Grove was clearly not as sharp in the fifth inning. He gave up two runs and four hits with the new pants in the fifth inning before getting pulled from the game.

Fans understandably had thoughts on the whole ordeal, including more inconsistency with how umpires enforce the rules on sticky substances.