MLB Pitcher Forced to Remove Glove with American Flag on It

During Wednesday’s game, a Chicago Cubs pitcher was required to swap his glove adorned with an American flag decal on one of its fingers, following umpires' concerns that the decal could be a "distraction" for batters.

The MLB umpires instructed Cubs reliever Luke Little to leave his black glove with the decal in the dugout during their routine inspection before he took to the mound in the Cubs’ victory against the Houston Astros.

“The issue was the American flag was on his glove,” explained Cubs manager Craig Counsell, as reported by the Associated Press.

“Pitchers’ gloves must strictly avoid having white elements. Apparently, the flag had what could potentially distract the hitter,” added Counsell.

He also mentioned that they searched for a replacement glove, but the only available option for the six-foot-eight pitcher was a brand-new glove that had not been broken in and was still stiff.

“I had to beat it a little bit, try and get it flexed out. Of all the things to do, breaking in a glove during a game,” remarked Little after the game.

Little further stated that he had been using the original glove without any issues since his days in Single-A minor league baseball.

Following the incident, Little took to social media to express his patriotism, telling fans he was “Proud to be an American” in a post on X.

A Major League Baseball spokesman confirmed that they had previously cautioned Cubs management about the glove.

The 23-year-old pitcher mentioned that he was informed by his team about receiving an email from MLB stating that he was not permitted to wear it.

“But I just didn’t assume that they were just going to cut me. It’s not like it has an advantage in the game. It’s not like it blinds the hitters. Just representing my country,” he added.

“It's just a whole debacle. Got to get ready without it and throw through it,” Little commented on the umpires' demand.

The Cubs have won two out of the three-game series against the Astros, with victories of 7-2 on Tuesday and 4-3 on Wednesday. The series was set to conclude with a final game on Thursday.

Little, who made his major league debut in September 2023 against the San Francisco Giants, recorded his second hold of the 2024 season in Wednesday's win, maintaining a 2.16 ERA in nine games this year, according to the MLB website. He had played seven games for the team in 2023.