Dylan Bundy was once named the second-best prospect in all of baseball. The former No. 4 overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft was supposed to be the next big thing, but arm injuries derailed a once-promising career.
Bundy is trying a comeback with the New York Mets, who signed him to a minor-league deal, where he’s currently serving as pitching depth in Triple-A Syracuse. Bundy, who is more known for his time with the Baltimore Orioles, where he was a top farmhand, reunited with an organization that has his former manager in Buck Showalter.
Unfortunately, Bundy’s time with the Mets will likely be remembered for an incident on Wednesday night. Bundy was ejected from his Triple-A start on Wednesday after umpires checked his glove for sticky substances. Obviously, they found a foreign substance and Bundy was booted from the game after just three innings.
Dylan Bundy was ejected from tonight's game for Triple-A Syracuse after the umpires checked his glove for sticky substances. pic.twitter.com/rASL5CiT8U
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) May 17, 2023
Only Bundy knows what foreign substance was on his glove, but perhaps it was a last-ditch effort for a former highly-touted prospect that’s seen his ERA skyrocket to 10.08 after six starts at Triple-A.
It’s been rare for that to happen at the minor-league level in 2023, considering the lack of security and the consequences that ultimately come with breaking the rules. The Mets have already dealt with foreign substance issues as Max Scherzer was suspended for 10 games earlier this season after having what the umpires deemed a sticky substance, though the veteran pitcher maintained it was just sweat and rosin.
It remains to be seen if this is the end of the road for Bundy. In any event, it’s a terrible look for a player that’s seen some success at the big-league level. Now, he’s made a return to the majors that much more difficult.
[SNY]
