- Yankees general manager Brian Cashman filed a complaint alleging Red Sox training staff relayed stolen signs to hitters with help of an Apple Watch
- Video of the practice was allegedly confirmed by Major League Baseball
- Red Sox filed a counter complaint, alleging that New York used cameras at Yankee Stadium to also steal signs from opposing catchers
Boston Red Sox orchestrated a scheme to illicitly steal opponents’ catchers hand signals during games with the help of an Apple Watch, a Major League Baseball investigation has concluded.
The inquiry began when the general manager of the second-place New York Yankees, Brian Cashman, filed a complaint with the commissioner’s office a few weeks ago, including video from the teams’ three-game series in August that allegedly depicted a member of the first-place Red Sox training staff looking at his Apple Watch and relaying messages to players.
According to the New York Times, the Yankees had long held suspicions that the rival Red Sox were stealing signals at Fenway Park, and their claims were corroborated by the league after filing the complaint.
Major League Baseball has concluded that the Boston Red Sox instituted a sign-stealing scheme at Fenway park that involved the use of an Apple Watch (pictured playing at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday)
When confronted, the report explained, the Red Sox admitted that trainers received signals from video replay personnel before signalling that information to some players. Boston claimed the system had been in place for several weeks.
In response, the Red Sox reportedly filed their own complaint against the Yankees, claiming that the Bronx Bombers have used cameras from the team’s television network, YES, to steal signs during games.
Stealing signs is nothing new in baseball. Catchers have always communicated with pitchers using hand signals, and anyone steal those signs could alert the hitter as to what kind of pitch to expect. It’s allowed, as long as teams only use their eyes. Any devices are prohibited.
Neither team has spoken publicly about the complaints and it’s unclear how commissioner Rob Manfred might proceed.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman notified the commissioner’s office a few weeks ago, according to a report, to inform the league that the Red Sox were stealing catchers’ signs
Boston Red Sox batter Jackie Bradley Jr hits a single on Saturday at Yankee Stadium