History has a funny way of repeating itself. How else would you explain the controversy Philadelphia Phillies’ first baseman Bryce Harper has found himself in? Back in 1983, it was Kansas City Royals’ star George Brett—the Hall of Famer with over 3,000 hits, an MVP title, and a World Series ring—who was called out for violating Rule 1.10(c). Now, 42 years later, looks like Harper might have been caught red-handed violating the same rule.

To take a trip down memory lane, the controversy back then centered around the umpires finding excessive pine tar on Brett’s bat during a game between the Royals and the New York Yankees. The result? The player’s latest two-run home run being nullified, and him being ejected. Now, let’s come back to the present.

During the recent Philadelphia Phillies vs. Toronto Blue Jays game, where the latter stacked back-to-back wins after losing the opener, Joe Siddall caught something that might have uncovered a potential MLB rule violation. In a now-viral post on X, captioned, “Blue Jays broadcaster Joe Siddall catches Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper conspicuously spraying the barrel of his bat with pine tar in the dugout. MLB Rule1.10(c) States 18 inches from the knob is the max,” the player could be seen spraying pine tar on the barrel of his bat in the dugout.

Why that’s a problem? According to the MLB rule 3.02(c): “The bat handle, for not more than 18 inches from its end, may be covered or treated with any material or substance…”

If sprayed beyond the limit, it can potentially result in the bat being removed from play. But till we wait for the official verdict to come in, let’s explore why pine tar is the common enemy…

Why is excessive pine tar application restricted, and why did Harper’s bat catch attention?

For the unversed, pine tar has a thick, adhesive substance that was originally used by sailors for waterproofing wooden ships. As for baseball, it is widely known to give hitters enhanced grip that can otherwise be a problem due to sweat or moisture. Additionally, the substance also allows the hitters to get more power while making a hit.

Interestingly, some players even apply it on their helmets, so that they can touch it mid-game to reapply it whenever required.

So, if found guilty, this is what Harper will be subjected to as per the rulebook: “A player who possesses or applies foreign substances in violation of the rules will be immediately ejected from the game and suspended (with pay) for 10 games. The umpiring crew shall be the sole judge as to whether the rules have been violated. The use of foreign substances is not subject to challenge using the replay review system.”

Looks like the player might potentially be headed for trouble.