Watch: Ump checks Musgrove's ears for foreign substance at Mets' request

New York Mets manager Buck Showalter asked umpires to check if San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove was using a foreign substance during Game 3 of the wild-card series Sunday.

The umps examined Musgrove's glove, hat, and ears in the sixth inning but didn't find anything illegal.

Musgrove, who didn't allow a run during his start and had increased spin rates, did appear to have shiny ears.

The 29-year-old All-Star gestured to the Mets' dugout after striking out the next batter:

Musgrove ultimately surrendered just one hit over seven innings in a 6-0 win, propelling the Padres into the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"I get it, dude - they're on their last leg, desperate to get me out of the game any way they can," Musgrove said postgame, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. "It motivated me a bit. Opportunity to stick it to them a little bit."

He denied using Red Hot on his ears, as Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Andrew McCutchen asserted in a tweet during the game, but the pitcher theorized that his pregame massage could have left a substance behind.

"It could've been lotion or it could've been anything. But they checked, they found nothing," Musgrove said, according to Dennis Lin of The Athletic.

Meanwhile, Showalter stood behind his decision to call for the inspection.

"I'm charged with doing what's best for the New York Mets," the skipper said, according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. "If it makes me look however it makes me look or whatever, I'm going to do it every time and live with the consequences. I'm not here to not hurt somebody's feelings.

"I'm going to do what's best for our players and the New York Mets. I felt like that was best for us right now. There's some pretty obvious reasons why it was necessary."

Padres manager Bob Melvin didn't appreciate the suggestion that Musgrove could've been cheating.

"I tend to be a high-road guy, and I'm going to," Melvin said, according to SNY. "But the problem I have is that Joe Musgrove is a man of character. Questioning his character, that's the part I have a problem with. … The reception that he got after that was not warranted. I just want everybody to know that Joe Musgrove is a high-character individual."