Trial begins on sticky stuff allegedly provided to Yankees’ Gerrit Cole while with Astros

It’s been three years since the Los Angeles Angels fired employee Brian Harkins for providing sticky stuff to big league pitchers.

The Yankees’ Gerrit Cole was among the players he allegedly gave the homemade substance to, and now the defamation suit he brought against the Angels and MLB is ready to go to trial.

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According to Sam Blum of The Athletic:

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday in Orange County (Calif.) Superior Court, where attorneys for Brian “Bubba” Harkins intend to argue that he has been the only person held accountable for the widespread use of grip-enhancing substances by pitchers.

Harkins’ job as a visiting clubhouse attendant appeared to be safe. That is until MLB abruptly shifted its policy regarding the use of sticky stuff.

In January 2021, The Los Angeles Times reported ex-Angels general manager Billy Eppler, who is now with the Mets, fired Harkins in March, “three days after the league issued a memo to teams saying it would be enforcing a long-ignored policy forbidding the use of illegal substances to enhance a pitcher’s grip.”

The Times reports Harkins submitted a text message from Cole, who was with the Astros at the time, as evidence that he was being made a “public scapegoat” as MLB cracks down on the use of foreign substances. The text read:

“Hey Bubba, it’s Gerrit Cole, I was wondering if you could help me out with this sticky situation,” the pitcher wrote, adding a wink emoji. “We don’t see you until May, but we have some road games in April that are in cold weather places. The stuff I had last year seizes up when it gets cold.”

Harkins testified that the recipe was given to him by longtime Angels closer Troy Percival, The Athletic reports. On top of Cole, he also said that he provided the substance to the Mets’ Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, Felix Hernandez, Corey Kluber and Adam Wainwright.

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It is unspecified what damages Harkins is seeking. That may become clear as the trial is set to be heard days after jury selection.

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Manuel Gomez may be reached at mgomez@njadvancemedia.com.