Major League Baseball did in fact look into the substance that many people seemed to notice on Sonny Gray’s neck during the Red Sox’s Game 2 wild-card series loss to the Yankees, sports talk host Craig Carton said on WFAN on Thursday.

While the Yankees walloped the Red Sox to complete the sweep, plenty of baseball fans noticed what appeared to be a strange substance on Gray’s neck when he was on the mound, raising plenty of questions. 

Gray appeared to touch it at various times while on the mound, and baseball fans were quick to point out the discoloration on the right side of his neck. 

However, Carton said he was told by Major League Baseball that it was on top of the situation and that the umpires had checked his hat, glove and hands after every inning he pitched. 

“He was checked after every inning. The spin rate was not up at all compared to his starts throughout the regular season,” Carton said. “They did a full check because, obviously, if you’re watching the game, like we all are, you saw the right side of his neck was discolored.”

Gray pitched 4 ⅔ innings and allowed only a solo home run to Luis Garcia Jr. before he was pulled from the game at 70 pitches. 

Boston Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray (54) is pulled from the game in the fifth inning during Game 2 of the Wild Card game against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at Yankee Stadium. Robert Sabo for New York Post

The veteran right-hander seemed to question the decision to pull him from the game. 

“I think I’m the best pitcher in the American League going through the order the third time. I think that’s a fact. I would have liked to live or die with me in that moment, but that’s the competitor I am,” he told reporters. “You can probably ask the guys and they felt the same way. I felt strong. I felt confident.

“I felt convicted. What can you do? You know.”