The Boston Red Sox, currently embroiled in a scandal related to the stealing of signs using video technology during the 2018 season, received the news that the Commissioner’s Office would not be ignoring their actions on Wednesday.
They were handed a punishment that includes the loss of draft picks and the suspension of two staff members connected to the team.
Boston Red Sox video replay system operator J.T. Watkins was suspended throughout the 2020 season and postseason without pay for his involvement in stealing signs during the 2018 season.
Former Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who participated in a separate sign-stealing scandal with the Houston Astros during the 2017 season and was fired by the team before the beginning of Spring Training, was handed the same punishment.
Ron Roenicke was subsequently hired as the team’s new manager following the revelation of allegations against Cora.
The Red Sox were also punished as an organization for their participation in using video technology to steal signs with the loss of a second-round draft pick in this summer’s amateur draft.
In a statement released to the media and posted on the team’s social networks, the team apologized to its fans and accepted the punishment handed down to them by the league.
