Brian Matusz, Orioles pitcher, suspended for foreign substance

Baltimore Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz was suspended eight games by Major League Baseball on Monday for having a foreign substance on his arm during a game in Miami.

Matusz immediately appealed and was in uniform for Baltimore's game against the Houston Astros on Monday afternoon. He will continue to pitch until his appeal is heard.

Matusz entered Saturday's game against the Marlins in the 12th inning. Miami manager Dan Jennings asked umpire Paul Emmel to inspect Matusz's right arm, and Emmel ejected the pitcher.

"I went out there and told the pitcher I was going to touch his right forearm," Emmel said after the game. "That's where he was touching before he went to the ball. I detected a foreign substance, so the pitcher was ejected."

I'm more focused on getting through today, try to win a game, and see what each day brings.- Orioles manager Buck Showalter on P Brian Matusz's 8-game suspension

There was no telling when the appeal would be heard.

Milwaukee Brewers reliever Will Smith was suspended eight games on Friday for having a foreign substance on his right arm during a game at Atlanta. Smith appealed the sentence, and has not yet had a hearing.

"I'm more focused on getting through today, try to win a game, and see what each day brings," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said before Monday's game. "It's completely in their hands. I don't know what they're going to do. But we have to be ready to react quickly."

Showalter said the length of the suspension probably had much to do with the sentence Smith received.

"They're basing it off precedent," the manager said. "Each case is different; that's why you have the appeal process. To make sure it's not just some blanket punishment. You've got to start somewhere and work from there."

Matusz is 1-2 with a 3.18 earned-run average in 14 games. He has limited left-handed batters to a .185 batting average.