Oh... I don't recall that. Oh sheeeit...
Mookie Betts acknowledged that the Boston Red Sox were involved in an illegal sign-stealing scheme during their 2018 regular season, and the team's video replay coordinator, J.T. Watkins, was suspended for the entire 2020 season by Major League Baseball (MLB) for his role.
Key Details
Mookie Betts' Comments: In a 2023 interview, Betts, who was the AL MVP with the 2018 Red Sox and later joined the Los Angeles Dodgers, confirmed he was aware of the scheme, stating "Everybody was". However, he emphasized that the team's success was largely due to immense talent and that the scheme was used infrequently and not during the World Series.
The Scheme: The Red Sox's illegal activity involved using the in-game video replay room to decode opponents' signs and relay the information to the dugout, primarily when a runner was on second base. This was considered less pervasive and impactful than the Houston Astros' real-time trash-can-banging scheme.
MLB Investigation and Punishments: MLB investigated the matter and determined that Watkins was the central figure in the Red Sox's sign-stealing. As a result, he was the only member of the Red Sox organization to be suspended. The Red Sox were also stripped of a second-round draft pick and fined, but no players were punished.
Alex Cora's Role: Red Sox manager Alex Cora was also suspended through the 2020 postseason, but this was for his role as the bench coach in the more extensive 2017 Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, not the Red Sox's 2018 scheme.
What's Bo's camp smoking, man? If true, of course.
