Ten days after a seemingly damning report in the New York Times detailed an operation to steal signs perpetrated by the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees, Major League Baseball brought the story to a whimpering end.
MLB announces Red Sox will be fined an undisclosed amount for the use of technology during the sign-stealing incident. pic.twitter.com/y2kx26yt1i
— Jen McCaffrey (@jcmccaffrey) September 15, 2017
Not to be outdone, the Red Sox issued a counter-complaint against the Yankees, accusing their longtime rivals of using a YES Network camera to spy on Boston personnel in the home dugout at Fenway Park. Per the same statement, Manfred noted that the investigation into the Red Sox claim found “insufficient evidence” but that “we learned that during an earlier championship season (prior to 2017) the Yankees had violated a rule governing the use of the dugout phone” and fined the Yankees a “lesser undisclosed amount” that also will be donated to Florida’s hurricane relief efforts.
Manfred also pointed out that, for future reference, “all 30 Clubs have been notified that future violations of this type will be subject to more serious sanctions, including the possible loss of draft picks.”
And thus, the scandal somewhat affectionately known in some circles as “Apple-gate” or “Watch-gate” has come to a close.
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