WASHINGTON — Tyler Gilbert would like his glove back, thank you very much.
The White Sox reliever had it confiscated by umpires who didn’t like its sticky texture when Gilbert entered in the fifth inning of Thursday’s 5-3 loss to the Yankees in The Bronx.
The umpiring crew felt a substance in the mitt but couldn’t tell if it was an illegal one, according to MLB officials. There was nothing on Gilbert’s hand, so they let him stay in the game with another glove.
The 31-year-old lefty said their suspicions were out of hand.
“I’ve been using that glove all year. It’s got a build-up of sweat and rosin. It’s on the palm area. And [second base umpire Phil Cuzzi] thought it was something else,” said Gilbert, who tossed a no-hitter in his first MLB start in 2021 with Arizona.
“I don’t really know what the next step is. If they do lab results, they will just realize it was sweat and rosin build-up,” he said. “Hopefully I can get that back as soon as I can.”
The glove was taken to the Yankees dugout, though manager Aaron Boone didn’t seem overly concerned about the sticky situation. “They didn’t like something in the glove, but there was nothing on his hands or anything,” Boone said.
As they geared up for their final series of the season Friday in Washington, Gilbert and the Sox hadn’t gotten any updates from the league.
“I’d really like it back,” said Gilbert, who has posted a 4.01 ERA in 45 appearances covering 49⅓ innings this year.
Umpires removed the glove of White Sox pitcher Tyler Gilbert as he entered the game and gave the glove to the Yankees dugout
Gilbert was given a new glove and remained in the game pic.twitter.com/gyLOXAhjkF
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 26, 2025
Sox manager Will Venable said the well-seasoned mitt “was just a little too sticky” for crew chief Dan Bellino, a Chicago native who “didn’t suspect any bad intent,” according to Venable.
“I felt it, I told him that I didn’t think it was very sticky, but I have no measuring stick for that,” the first-year manager said. “It was really cordial.”
According to MLB.com, eight players have been suspended for being caught sticky-handed since a 2021 league-wide crackdown on substances that can give pitchers more movement on their throws. No Sox players have faced discipline.