Baseball manager questions umpire over towel on pitcher's mound

A minor disruption briefly halted the Wei Chuan Dragons' 5-3 victory over the Fubon Guardians on Sunday. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Dragons' manager Yeh Chun-chang approached the umpire to question the placement of a black towel on the pitcher's mound by Fubon's relief pitcher, Chang Yi.

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Actually, a Japanese coach told me, 'How can you put a towel here?' So I went up to ask. After the umpires discussed it, they said it wasn't allowed.

Yeh explained that he was prompted by a Japanese coach on his staff who pointed out the unusual action. "How can you put a towel here?" the coach reportedly asked. Yeh then went to the umpire to inquire. Following a discussion among the umpires, it was determined that the practice was not allowed.

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There was discussion about whether towels could be brought onto the field, but how could they be placed on the pitcher's mound? Putting it in a pocket is fine, but on the ground... how should I put it, it's quite interesting.

Further seeking clarification, Yeh asked Fubon's Japanese coaches, Kenji Gumo and Tetsuya Ijiri, if placing towels on the mound was permissible in Japanese professional baseball. Both coaches confirmed that it was not. Yeh expressed amusement after the game, noting the basic nature of the rule and that he assumed it was allowed in Japan. Fubon's manager, Mitsutaka Goto, reportedly apologized to Yeh for the incident.

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I thought it was allowed in Japanese professional baseball, but it turns out it wasn't.