The big story of the week in Major League Baseball is the attempt to stop pitchers from using illegal substances that help them grip the baseball better, thus giving them an advantage while pitching.

Usually, pitchers hide the illegal substances in the glove, hat, or belt, but for years nothing was done to stop them from doing this. Now umpires are to perform checks after every inning on the pitcher, looking for illegal substances. In the first week of enforcement, only Seattle’s Hector Santiago was ejected for using illegal substances. He will face a 10 game suspension if the ruling is upheld. His glove was sent to New York for further inspection.

Trevor Bauer (Hart ‘08) doesn’t stay quiet when it comes to MLB issues. The Dodgers star pitcher, was very outspoken about his displeasure with the MLB’s decision to start routinely checking pitcher’s gloves and other equipment for sticky substances. He said in a tweet that “They’ve [the MLB]  knowingly swept this under the rug for 4 years. Now they implement a knee jerk reaction to shifting public perception. Hard to hear them talk about “competitive integrity” when they have no integrity to begin with. In his two starts since the MLB’s rule change, Bauer was just alright in both. In both starts he went six innings, giving up three and two earned runs respectively. Bauer’s June ERA is 3.55, significantly higher than in April and May.

Bauer’s “K’s for a Cause” charity is still going strong. With his eight strikeouts on June 28, Bauer brought his monthly total up to 33, which means there will be a $33,000 donation to 9 Dots for Bauer’s efforts on the mound this month. On the year, Bauer has 137 K’s and has donated $137,000 to charity.

Tyler Glasnow (Hart ‘11) made his last start back on June 14, but was pulled due to an injury in his throwing arm. Glasnow was quick to point the finger at the MLB’s new rule against sticky substances. Glasnow has said that he used sunscreen and rosin to get a better grip on the baseball, but says that he went “cold turkey” in his previous start against the Nationals on June 8 and felt soreness in his arm afterwards. Then after his June 14 start he went in for an MRI that showed a partially torn UCL and flexor strain. Glasnow believes that the MLB should’ve implemented the rule change in the offseason to give pitchers a chance to adjust. In the last couple of days there has been some positive news about Glasnow’s injury. It looks as if it will not require surgery and that Glasnow could return later this season.

Related Article: June Update For Santa Clarita Players In The MLB

Zack Britton, who is a Santa Clarita native, was also critical of the MLBs crackdown on foreign substances. He thinks that the news surrounding the “sticky stuff” rather than more important things such as top prospect Wander Franco’s debut. Britton has made just five appearances for the New York Yankees since returning from injury in early June. In those appearances he has pitched 4.1 innings giving up two earned runs.

Scott Barlow (Golden Valley ‘11) has given up just two runs in 11 appearances out of the bullpen for the Kansas City Royals in the month of June. Most recently, Barlow came in and struck out the side on June 27 against the Texas Rangers. His season ERA is now down to 1.91 and he has 55 strikeouts in just 37.2 innings pitched.

Keston Hiura (Valencia ‘14) has had an up and down season so far for the Milwaukee Brewers. He has already been sent to Triple-A twice this season, once in May and once in June. He was recalled from Triple-A last week and has hit much better in the four games since being called back up. He is 4-for-13 with two homers and a double. In addition he has also walked once and driven in five runs.

Pat Valaika (Hart ‘10) is having his best month of the season in June. He is batting .262 after hitting well below .200 in April and May. Valaika has primarily played second base for the Baltimore Orioles, but has shown his versatility throughout the season by making appearances at first base, shortstop, third base, and left field.

Tommy Milone (Saugus ‘11) has not pitched since May 1 due to a left shoulder injury. He made his first rehab appearance in Triple-A on Sunday, giving up two runs in one inning of work. Milone is eligible to return to the Blue Jays in a couple of days, but will likely need a few more weeks of rehab to get back into Major League form.

Be sure to follow KHTS Sports for the 2021 Santa Clarita high school football season and your Santa Clarita Dodgers coverage. Find all the latest news and updates on your hometown schools here as they compete in the Foothill League, Heritage League, Western State Conference and GSAC.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.