Alex Bregman’s Departure Highlights MLB’s Mishandling of Astros Sign-Stealing Scandal
Alex Bregman is officially moving on from the Houston Astros, signing a three-year, $120 million deal with the Boston Red Sox. As he transitions to his new team, Bregman took to social media to post a heartfelt farewell to Houston, reflecting on his nine-year tenure with the franchise. However, his goodbye serves as yet another reminder of how poorly MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred handled the Astros’ infamous 2017 sign-stealing scandal.
Bregman, like many departing players, acknowledged his accomplishments with Houston, including the two World Series titles. Notably, he referenced the 2017 championship without addressing the controversy surrounding it. That season, the Astros devised a sign-stealing system using live camera feeds and relayed pitch information to hitters through coded signals, such as banging on trash cans. The scandal was later confirmed, yet the punishment handed down by Manfred fell far short of expectations.
Manfred’s Weak Response to the Scandal
Despite clear evidence that Houston gained an unfair advantage, MLB did not strip the Astros of their 2017 title. Instead, the team was fined a mere $5 million—a drop in the bucket compared to the $347 million in revenue Houston generated that season. The organization also lost first- and second-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021, but with an already strong roster, the impact was minimal. While some coaches lost their jobs, no players, including Bregman, faced any individual penalties.
Now, as Bregman embarks on his next chapter in Boston, his legacy in Houston remains complicated. While he rightfully takes pride in his achievements, the controversy surrounding the 2017 season remains a stain on baseball. Manfred’s leniency only reinforced the perception that cheating carried little consequence, leaving many to believe that justice was never truly served.
Leave a Reply