"Could be a distraction to the hitter" - Cubs' Luke Little was made to change glove over white section of American flag patch

Luke Little, a reliever for the Chicago Cubs, was asked to change his glove before entering Wednesday night’s game against the Houston Astros because it had an American flag patch on it.

As Little was set to enter the game in the seventh inning, umpires conducting their routine check noticed the patch on his glove and deemed it a potential distraction to the hitters.

As explained by manager Craig Counsell, baseball gloves are not allowed to have any white components, and the American flag patch on Little’s glove was seen as potentially disruptive to the opposing batters.

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After changing gloves, Luke Little’s replacement also had to be replaced for the same reason

The second glove brought to Luke Little also featured an American flag.

A quick swap had to be made, but the first new glove that was brought to Little also featured an American flag on it, requiring another attempt to find a suitable glove.

The reliever later recounted the humorous story of breaking in a new glove during a game, a task usually done during practice.

The 23-year-old pitcher from North Carolina mentioned that he had been using the same glove since he was in Class A ball. Even with the sudden change, Little struck out both players he faced in the inning, helping the Chiacgo Cubs beat the Houston Astros 4-3 in the second game of the series, which ended with a sweep to Houston.

Following the game, Little shared his perspective on the situation, expressing surprise at the strict enforcement of rules regarding baseball gloves in Major League Baseball, something he mentioned meant patriotism and a symbol rather than a competitive advantage. Little later made a social media post where he emphasized his pride as a citizen of the United States.