Rosin In Glove: Red Sox Jon Lester Says ‘I Don't Know What That Is’ About Green Substance In Photo, During Game 1 Of World Series

Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester has been caught up in a controversy over the rosin in his glove during Game 1 of the World Series. The rosin is applied to his glove due to his reportedly sweaty hands, but why is the substance in Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester's glove green?

Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester said, via MLB.com, "I saw the picture and I don't know what that is."

"It looks like a giant booger, almost. I don't know how that came about, with the lighting, I don't know. Like I said, I saw the picture, I don't know how that is. It's rosin, I guess with sweat and licking your fingers and rubbing your fingers in there, it may turn a different color, I don't know. I don't pay attention to that stuff when I'm pitching."

"From my perspective, if you know Jon Lester, he sweats like a pig and he needs rosin," Red Sox manager John Farrell explained to reporters before Game 2 when asked about the photos and the green smudge on Lester's glove, The Huffington Post reports.

"And you know what, he keeps it in his glove. Other guys will keep it on their arm. Other guys will keep it on their pant leg. So that's my response to the allegations," Farrell said.

Farrell did admit that the greenish hue seemed odd, even to him.

"The one thing that seemed very odd is that it shows up in a lime green color," he admitted. "I don't know how that can happen."

Lester pitched the Boston Red Sox to an 8-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 on Wednesday night, The Los Angeles Times reports.

Rule 8.02 forbids a pitcher from applying any "foreign substance" to the ball, the publication notes.

But in reality, umpires allow discretion with the use of rosin, which helps pitchers get a better grip, especially in cold weather. And apparently, when pitchers have sweaty hands.