CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- In his first official public appearance with the White Sox, recently signed left-hander Dallas Keuchel spent a fair portion of his media session answering questions about one of his former teams.
Keuchel apologized for the Astros' cheating scandal in which they illegally used technology to steal signs during their World Series-winning season in 2017. Keuchel played in Houston from 2012-'18. In the fallout from the scandal, general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch were suspended for one season by MLB, then promptly fired by Astros ownership.
As a pitcher, Keuchel didn't directly benefit in his performance from signs being relayed to his own team's batters, but he certainly received the indirect benefits as his offense was so successful. Keuchel was sorry for what transpired.
"First and foremost, there should be apologies in order for everybody on the team," Keuchel said in referencing the 2017 Astros. "When the stuff (stealing signs) was going on, it was never intended to be what it has turned into now.
"Was this against the rules? Yes it was, and I am personally sorry for what's come about in this whole situation. It is what it is, so we have to move past that. I am sorry."
Keuchel shed more light on the situation.
"I can tell you not every game signs were stolen," Keuchel said. "Many guys did very well on their own. At times, we did have signs and we still couldn't hit the pitcher. It did help at times, but the human element showed that some pitchers were better than our hitters. It just happened to come out with the Astros, and there are a lot of people in that organization that are sorry other than me for what happened. I don 't think anyone else will come out and talk about it when they see what has happened."
Keuchel left the Astros for the Braves in 2019. He then joined the White Sox on a three-year deal this offseason and will be counted on as one of their frontline starters.
"When things come out during the course of a big league season, it is always blown up like it's never happened before," Keuchel said. "During the course of the playoffs in 2017, everyone was using multiple signs. For factual purposes when no one is on base, when in the history of baseball have teams used multiple signs? You can go back to the 2017 playoffs -- there were six out of the eight teams using multiple signs. It was just what the state of baseball was at that point and time.
Former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers was one of the key whistleblowers in the scandal. Keuchel had a cold attitude toward Fiers.
"That is a tough subject because of the tight-knit community in the clubhouse," Keuchel said. "You are playing with these guys for 185 to 200 games a year. It sucks that a clubhouse rule was broken. That's where I will go with that. I have nothing much else to say about Mike."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
