Mookie Betts confirmed over the weekend the Red Sox stole signs during their 2018 World Series season. But he says it wasn’t a big deal.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Betts, who won the MVP that year, admitted the Red Sox used live video teams to steal opponents’ signs. “Yeah,” he said. “Everybody was.”
The Red Sox’ sign stealing story is back in the news, largely thanks to a new book from The Athletic's Evan Drellich, “Winning Fixes Everything.” The book chronicles the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal from 2017, when they bested the Dodgers in the World Series.
It also contains some details about the 2018 Red Sox, who were accused of stealing signs as well. Drellich’s reports that Alex Cora boasted to players on the team about the Astros’ operation the previous season, bragging they “stole the World Series.”
MLB conducted an investigation into the subterfuge allegations against the Red Sox, and ruled their scheme “by its very nature, was far more limited in scope and impact.” Despite the mild verdict, MLB still suspended Cora for the 2020 season, and the Red Sox were forced to surrender their second-round pick that year. The club dismissed Cora, only to rehire him the following season.
The Red Sox’ former video operator, J.T. Watkins, was singled out for his role in the operation, and suspended without pay for the 2020 campaign. Interestingly enough, the Dodgers hired Watkins this year. (Drellich’s book says Red Sox players chipped in to pay Watkins during 2020, which Betts confirmed to the LA Times.)
Betts said the Red Sox stole signs infrequently.
“People are trying to make it like we’re cheating. Give us credit. We had a good team,” he said. “Give us some credit. We had Cy Young winners. We had MVPs. We had Gold Glove winners. We had Silver Sluggers. We had all that. Take that into account.”
Clayton Kershaw backed up Betts, saying there’s a big difference between what the Red Sox and Dodgers pulled.
“No matter what enhancements technology had back then, there needs to be a clear distinction between what the Astros did and what everybody else did,” he said.
The Dodgers apparently hold little animosity against the Red Sox, considering they hired Watkins to work for them.