When former LA Dodgers star Justin Turner ripped into Houston Astros' unethical sign-stealing scheme
In February 2020, former Los Angeles Dodgers star Justin Turner ripped into Houston Astros' unethical 2017 sign-stealing scheme as sensational revelations made headlines every day in the news.
Houston Astros' 2017 sign-stealing scandal involved the use of technology to decode and communicate opposing teams' pitching signs, giving the team's hitters an unfair advantage during games.
It came to light in November 2019 when former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers, who had been with the team in 2017, revealed the scheme in an interview with The Athletic. The scheme primarily took place during the 2017 season when the Astros won the World Series against the Dodgers.
"It's just like ripping open a scab," former Dodgers third baseman Turner said out of disappointment while addressing the 2017 sign-stealing scandal. "It rehashes some things, and you go back, think what if, what happened. And that's just going to drive us crazy if we continue to do that.
"You just gotta let them deal with it however they deal with it. Everyone's gonna have their opinion, everyone's gonna treat them however they feel necessary. Lucky for us, we don't play them this year. So we don't even have to worry about them. The rest of the league can deal with them."
After the revelation of the sign-stealing scheme, MLB launched an investigation into the matter. In January 2020, the league released its findings and imposed several penalties on the Astros.
Astros manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were suspended by MLB for the entire 2020 season. Subsequently, the team fired both Hinch and Luhnow.
Additionally, the Astros were fined $5 million, the maximum amount allowed under the MLB Constitution.
Additionally, they forfeited their first- and second-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021.
MLB granted immunity to Houston Astros players
The revelation of the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scheme had significant repercussions within the baseball community. It tarnished the team's reputation and raised questions about the integrity of the game.
During the MLB investigation, it was reported that some Astros players were involved in the sign-stealing scheme. However, in exchange for their cooperation with the league's investigation, MLB granted immunity to the players.
Hence, players did not face individual punishment, such as suspensions or fines, for their involvement in the sign-stealing activities. Instead, the MLB focused its disciplinary actions on the organization as a whole.