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Report: MLB decides on sign-stealing punishments for Red Sox

Major League Baseball handed down punishment on Red Sox manager Alex Cora and a replay operator. They also docked the team a draft pick.

By David Fucillo Updated

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A general view of Fenway Park during the sixth inning of the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Boston Red Sox. Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Major League Baseball is set to announce the Boston Red Sox punishment for their involvement in an illegal sign-stealing operation, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.

The league is suspending replay operator J.T. Watkins through the 2020 playoffs and from doing the same job in 2021, and suspending Alex Cora through the conclusion of the 2020 playoffs for his conduct with the Astros — not as manager of the Red Sox. Additionally, the league is docking the Red Sox a second-round pick in the 2020 draft.

MLB will release its findings on Wednesday after an investigation that included 65 witness interviews, and “reviews of tens of thousands of emails, text messages, video clips and photographs.” Commissioner Rob Manfred met with some of the witnesses.

From the evidence, the league determined that Watkins illegally utilized game feeds in the replay room during the 2018 regular season. MLB’s did not find that the conduct continued into the 2018 playoffs or 2019 regular season.

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