MLB Drops The Ball By Forcing Cubs Reliever Luke Little To Ditch Glove With American Flag

A strange scene unfolded Wednesday night when Chicago Cubs reliever Luke Little was met at the mound by an umpire and told to switch out his glove. 

The reason? The black glove had an American flag on it. 

The official cited a series of Major League Baseball rules relating to a pitcher's glove, specifically a prohibition against white on the glove as it could theoretically distract a batter. Those little white stars and white stripes were too much I guess. 

Luke Little shared after the 4-3 win over the Houston Astros that he's worn the glove since Class A ball without a need to swap it out mid-game. 

The league even reached out after the game to address the glove.

WATCH:

Wednesday's interruption was a first for the 23-year-old leftie. Little made his first start on April 3 against the Colorado Rockies. He wore the American flag patch for his first start on April 3.

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 3: Luke Little of the Chicago Cubs pitches in a game against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field on April 3, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images)

Little was astounded to learn that a bit of white from his glove could be seen as a competitive advantage, prompting questions about the league stepping in at the sight of someone wearing the American flag. Amid social derision in America, wearing the nation's flag has become increasingly taboo.

Craig Counsell, the Cubs' manager, explained that the umpire asked Little to swap out his glove due to the dilemma with the color.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 24: Luke Little #43 of the Chicago Cubs delivers a pitch against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning at Wrigley Field on April 24, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

"The issue was the American flag was on his glove," Counsell shared, via the Associated Press. "Pitchers' gloves, they're pretty strict about not having white on the pitchers' gloves. Apparently, the flag had what could be a distraction to the hitter."

Realistically, Luke Little should be able to wear the American flag proudly. If anything, forcing Little to swap out his glove for one rarely used served as more of an issue since he had to play with what was a stiffer replacement.

Little commented on the scene after the game.

"I had to beat it a little bit, try and get it flexed out," he said. "Of all the things to do is breaking in a glove during a game."

The Cubs reliever shared that the original glove served no competitive advantage in his mind and that MLB reached out with a message instructing him not to use the glove going forward.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 15: Luke Little #42 of the Chicago Cubs delivers a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on April 15, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)

"The clubbies told me that they had got an email from MLB that I'm not allowed to wear it," Little said. "But I just didn't assume that they were just going to just 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."

America's Pastime forcing a player to remove an American flag patch is truly a bummer.

But there was some redemption in the end. 

Little, a 6-foot-8 behemoth, went on X after the game and shared a GIF of Hulk Hogan jamming out on a stars-and-stripes studded guitar, playing in front of a giant American flag. The rad factor was a 10 out of 10.

Little captioned the post to reflect how proud he is to be an American, adding a flag emoji, which at this point may prompt another e-mail from cold-hearted MLB officials.

Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela

Send a message: alejandro.avila@outkick.com