In the thick of the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing saga, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred addressed the accusations and the ongoing investigation on Tuesday during an owners’ meeting. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Manfred stated that the league office will be conducting an extensive investigation.
“Any allegations that relate to a rule violation that could affect the outcome of a game or games is the most serious matter. We have…what is going to be a really, really thorough investigation ongoing,” said Manfred.
Manfred also noted that he has “no reason to believe it extends beyond the Astros at this point in time.”
In light of both the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees’ sign-stealing fines in the 2017 season, the commissioner issued a notice to teams at the start of the 2018 season, stating that all clubs were notified of the violations of sign-stealing, and future violations would be more heavily sanctioned.
He reaffirmed this statement on Tuesday, saying, “The general warning I issued to the clubs I stand by. It certainly could be all of those things, but my authority under the major league constitution would be broader than those things as well.”
The accusation against the Astros was reported by the Athletic on November 12, where former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers claimed the team used technology to steal signs during home games in 2017.
