American Scandal - Houston Astros: Caught Stealing | Bottom of the Ninth | 4

Episode Date: November 5, 2024

Following their 2017 World Series win, the Astros cannot escape rumors that they cheated. They aren’t the only team accused of illegally stealing signs, but they become the focal point after their victory and continued success in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Finally, two reporters find a former Astros player willing to go on the record about the team’s sign-stealing scheme. Need more American Scandal? With Wondery+, enjoy exclusive seasons, binge new seasons first, and listen completely ad-free. Start your free trial in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or visit wondery.app.link/IM5aogASNNb now.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hi, this is Lindsey Graham, host of American Scandal. Our back catalog has moved behind a paywall. Recent episodes remain free, but older ones will require a Wondery Plus subscription. With Wondery Plus, you get access to the full American Scandal archive, ad-free, plus early access to new seasons and more. Join Wondery Plus in the W Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. Hours before the players are scheduled to take the field, two employees from a rival team's traveling party are wandering around the Astros' home ballpark. If anyone asks

what they're doing, they've been instructed to say that they got lost. But in reality, they're trying to find proof that the Houston Astros have been cheating. Ever since the Astros won the World Series last year, there have been rumors that the team got a leg up on the competition by using some form of electronic sign stealing, a practice banned by Major League Baseball. But so far, nothing has been proven. Recently, though, someone inside the Astros organization tipped off this opposing team that the Astros have a bizarre new way of communicating stolen signs, and it involves a massage gun. According to this tipster, there's a wall separating the clubhouse from the dugout, and when a particular pitch is coming, the person in the clubhouse gets the sign from the video replay room, then passes it to the dugout by pummeling the wall with a massage gun,

like rudimentary Morse code. Apparently, this signal is silent to the ear, but the players in the dugout can feel the vibrations through the wall. Then the dugout sends the sign along to players on the field and ultimately to the Astros hitter at bat. The rival team's two employees have been dispatched to find out if there's any truth to this tip, so they do their best to look innocent as they pad their way across the baseball diamond. When they reach the Astros' dugout, they glance around furtively before descending the concrete steps. A few paces later, they're in the wide tunnel with orange-painted walls that leads to the clubhouse. The first employee lets out a little whoop of excitement.

Hey, we're in! Can't believe how easy that was. Keep your voice down. We're supposed to be acting like we're lost. I'm not sure that story's going to fly at this point. I mean, we just waltzed right into home team's dugout. We'll just say we thought it was the visiting teams. All right, we can play dumb. What are we looking for?

Well, we're supposed to find the clubhouse. Said it was right behind the dugout. But I don't think that's right. It looks like it's this way, down there at the other end of the tunnel. Nah, I knew it. These are just rumors. Come on, we're already here. Let's figure out what room does share a wall with the dugout.

The second employee looks around and walks toward a swinging door with a men's bathroom sign on it. He nervously follows. The bathroom is dimly lit by flickering fluorescent lights. The second employee runs his hand along one of the plain concrete walls. The dugout is right behind here. Yeah, but so what? Even if the whole massage gun thing is true, they're not going to leave it lying around in a bathroom. No, probably not. But look at this. The second employee points. There's a strange indentation in the wall that divides the restroom from the dugout. It's as if something had been drilling down on this one spot over and over, wearing away the surface of

the concrete. You think that's it? I mean, the spot where they used the massage gun? Maybe. I mean, it's hard to tell. But why else would that wall be worn away in one spot like that? I don't know. It just seems too crazy to be true. Yeah, but with their reputation, I wouldn't put anything past the Astros. Come on, let's get out of here before someone sees us. The two employees wander back out of the bathroom, still trying to look lost, and continue their search of the ballpark. They don't find any other evidence of wrongdoing, and eventually a security guard does stop them and asks them to leave. But even though they turned up no definitive proof of cheating, the rival team's employees exit

Minute Maid Park feeling even more suspicious of the Astros than when they arrived. Even if they can't prove it, all the clues point to one thing. The Houston Astros are breaking the rules. In the past decade, Boeing has been involved in a series of scandals and deadly crashes that have dented its once sterling reputation. At the center of it all, the 737 MAX. The latest season of Business Wars explores how Boeing allowed things to turn deadly and what, if anything, can save the company's reputation. Make sure to listen to Business Wars wherever you get your podcasts. From Wondery, I'm Lindsey Graham, and this is American Scandal. In 2011, Jeff Luno presented Houston Astros owner Jim Crane with a 21-page plan for transforming his failing ball club into the most winning organization in Major League Baseball. Just six years after that initial meeting, the Astros emerged as World Series champions for the first time in the franchise's history.

Series champions for the first time in the franchise's history. And almost immediately, rumors started to swirl about exactly how far the Astros had gone to secure their 2017 victory. But to Luno, these questions were merely background noise. As the Astros' general manager, Luno had proven that his statistically focused, innovate-or-die approach to baseball could propel a team from the bottom of the barrel to the top of the world. And as he looked to the future, Luno saw no reason to change tactics. So as the 2018 season unfolded, he continued to push a win-at-all-costs ethos driven by cold, hard numbers, sometimes ignoring the real-world consequences of his data-driven decisions. And when the Astros were finally held to account for their 2017 season, the cutthroat culture of Luno's team would be cited

both as the reason for their success and for their failure to rein in the unethical behavior within their ranks. This is Episode 4, Bottom of the Ninth. It's late July 2018 in Houston, Texas. Astros executive Kevin Goldstein sits in a conference room in Minute Maid Park, gritting his teeth as he watches his colleagues discuss the same decision for the second day in a row. A trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and the Astros are in search of a new closing pitcher. The team's old closing pitcher, Ken Giles, has been struggling. But before they can demote him, the Astros need to find a replacement.

There's only one name that Jeff Luno seems interested in, Toronto Blue Jays ace Roberto Osuna. Goldstein doesn't question that Osuna is a talented player, but he's also a major liability. Osuna has been suspended for 75 games after the mother of his three-year-old son accused him of physically assaulting her. The woman fled to Mexico following the incident, so no charges against Osuna have been filed. But the league conducted its own investigation and determined the incident was severe enough to merit the second-longest suspension for domestic violence in league history.

Goldstein knows the Astros' front office has already done its own due diligence, too, and they're deeply concerned by what they found. They simply do not feel that Osuna would be an appropriate player to sign. But Luno won't let the matter drop. Now he's asking everyone in the room to stand up and weigh in. Goldstein watches as Brandon Taubman rises from his chair and tells Luno that he would advise against signing Osuna. Luno just lets this slide off his back, and as Taubman sits back down, Luno turns his attention to Goldstein. All right, Kevin, let's hear what you think. Well, Jeff, I agree with my colleagues, which is to say what? I do not think we should bring on Osuna. And what's your reasoning? Well, if what we're hearing is true, this guy beat up the mother of his child. How do you think he's going to be received by his teammates on the Astros? You think they're going to be excited

to practice with this guy? Plenty of these players have families of their own. And Jeff, I don't need to remind you of this, but the Me Too movement isn't anything to wave off. It'll be a bad look if we sign Osuna. Well, if I cared about how my decisions looked in the media, I would have been out of this business a decade ago. Don't you see that Osuna's suspension is an advantage for us? We'll be getting him at a discount. We'll be getting him at a discount because he's accused of domestic violence. And in a few weeks, he'll be done serving a 75-game suspension. Don't you believe in second chances? Hey, sure. Yeah, but why do we have to be the ones giving him a second chance? I'm not asking for a moral opinion here, Kevin. I'm asking for your baseball opinion. I am giving you my baseball opinion. I think he's bad for the team, bad for the clubhouse, that he sets up a bad vibe, and that

can affect the whole team's performance. So no, we should not acquire Roberto Osuna. I never want to see that guy in an Astros uniform. Goldstein sits back down, and when he glances at his hands beneath the conference table, he realizes he's shaking. The Osuna debate has riled him up in ways he didn't think was possible. And when he looks around at his fellow Astros executives, he realizes they might be feeling the same way too. This is not a joyful front office celebrating a World Series victory anymore. This is something darker. And Goldstein can tell, when it comes to this trade, no one will stand in the way of Luno getting what he wants. When it comes to this trade, no one will stand in the way of Luno getting what he wants.

On July 30th, 2018, the Houston Astros announced that they're trading Ken Giles and two other pitchers to the Toronto Blue Jays for Roberto Osuna. The fallout is immediate. The media tears into the Astros. One headline reads, In trading for Roberto Osuna, the Astros show they have no conscience. And within the Astros organization, many are left questioning the team's values. For longtime research and development executive Mike Fast, who helped sign Carlos Beltran, it becomes the final push he needs to leave the Astros for good. But despite the turmoil surrounding the Osuna trade, the 2018 season progresses well leave the Astros for good. But despite the turmoil surrounding the Osuna

trade, the 2018 season progresses well for the Astros. The team makes it to the playoffs again, and in October, the Astros prepare to face off against the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox have a new addition to their coaching staff, though, former Astros bench coach Alex Cora. After helping the Astros win their first World Series, Cora was hired as the Red Sox's manager. And for Cora, managing Boston is a long-awaited career achievement. But facing his former team poses a unique challenge. Cora hasn't just heard rumors about the Astros' sign-stealing schemes.

He helped orchestrate them. So when he hears that the Astros might have a new system for sign-stealing, he goes on high alert. On October 13th, the first game of the American League Championship Series, Cora stands in the Red Sox dugout, peering out at one of the media areas of Fenway Park. The game is in the third inning, and all around him, Bostonians are screaming for the home team. But Cora doesn't pay attention to the action on the field. He's been warned that the Astros have an intern with a video camera planted somewhere in the media area, and he's been filming opposing team signs. As Cora scans across the faces in the stands, sure enough, he spots a young man pointing a video camera directly at the Red Sox dugout.

Cora watches the young man's gaze shift from the camera to his cell phone. His fingers fly across the phone's keyboard, sending what Cora can only guess are text messages to the visitor's dugout, relaying the stolen signs. Cora is livid. He would love nothing more than to stomp over and snatch the camera out of the guy's hands. But instead, he discreetly signals for a member of Fenway's security team to come over and then tells them there's a young man in the media section who is not credentialed and should be removed. The security guard nods and strides off to handle it.

Cora then watches as one of Fenway's security teams approaches the media section and begins questioning the young man. While Cora can't hear what's said, the young man appears to be defensive, shaking his head at the accusations. And then, to Cora's relief, he watches the security team lead the young man out of the media area. Cora cracks his neck and then returns his focus to where it needs to be, on game one of the series. But the incident leaves him seething. Concocting sign-stealing strategies with the Astros in 2017 was one thing. Being on the receiving end of them in 2018 is another. And Cora doesn't like it, not one bit.

The young man with the video camera turns out to be an Astros intern named Kyle McLaughlin. The Red Sox accuse the Astros of using McLaughlin to steal their signs, and the Astros respond by launching accusations of their own, claiming that McLaughlin was actually trying to catch the Red Sox in illegal sign stealing. Major League Baseball would later investigate the incident and conclude that McLaughlin had been doing what the Astros claimed, counter-espionage against Boston. But ultimately, neither team finds evidence that their opponent was really

stealing signs. Still, all across Major League Baseball, the fear of illegal sign-stealing is starting to reach a fever pitch. And in the 2018 postseason, the Astros, Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and other teams lob accusations back and forth. But media coverage of the fervor increasingly focuses on the league's reigning champions, the Houston Astros. In mid-October 2018, Yahoo Sports publishes a story detailing some of the Astros' attempts to gain a competitive edge. In this article, journalist Jeff Passan writes that two major league players have seen members of the Astros' attempts to gain a competitive edge. In this article, journalist Jeff Passan writes that two Major League players have seen members of the Astros hitting a trash can in the dugout.

These unnamed players believe the banging was intended to relay signs to Astros hitters in clear violation of Major League Baseball rules. But without any sources willing to go on the record, the article fails to gain much traction. Still, the Astros' trash-can scheme becomes an open secret around the league. And as the Astros continue to slug it out against the Red Sox in the postseason, the league decides that the time has come for the Houston team to address the question directly. During the series, an official from the commissioner's office weaves his way through the halls of Fenway Park until he reaches the luxury boxes assigned to the Astros' front office. There he finds Astros' general manager, Jeff Luno, and asks him if they can speak in private. Luno tells his staff that they need

the room, and everyone gets up and hustles out. And once the league official is certain that nobody can hear him, he tells Luno that the league has heard allegations about a sign-stealing scheme involving a trash can. Luno leans back, as if repulsed by the accusation, and then asks the official what the hell he's talking about. The official doesn't mince words. He says that they've heard repeated claims that the Astros players banged on a trash can in or around their dugout to signal what pitch their hitter was about to receive. Luno shakes his head in disbelief and offers a two-word response, that's ridiculous. The official asks if, just to be clear, Luno is

denying these accusations, and he says that he is. Then Luno asks his staff to come back in and get ready to watch the game. The league official nods and leaves the box, and as he heads back down the hallway, he reflects on the interaction he just had. Luno certainly seems sincere in his denial, and he'll report that to the commissioner. But he also knows that if the rumors of cheating continue, Major League Baseball may have no choice but to launch a full-scale investigation into the defending World Series champions. On January 5th, 2024, an Alaska Airlines door plug tore away mid-flight, leaving a gaping hole in the side of a plane that carried 171 passengers. This heart-stopping incident was just the latest in a string of crises surrounding the aviation manufacturing giant, Boeing.

In the past decade, Boeing has been involved in a series of damning scandals and deadly crashes that have chipped away at its once sterling reputation. At the center of it all, the 737 MAX, the latest season of business wars, explores how Boeing, once the gold standard of aviation engineering, descended into a nightmare of safety concerns and public mistrust. The decisions, denials, and devastating consequences bringing the Titan to its knees. And what, if anything, can save the company's reputation? Now, follow Business Wars on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can binge Business Wars, The Unraveling of Boeing, early and ad-free right now on Wondery Plus. He was hip-hop's biggest mogul, the man who redefined fame, fortune, and the music industry. The first male rapper to be honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Sean Diddy Cone. Diddy built an empire and lived a life most people only dream about. Everybody know ain't no party like a Diddy party, so. Yeah, that's what's up. only dream about. Everybody know ain't no party like a Diddy party, so. Yeah, that's what's up.

But just as quickly as his empire rose, it came crashing down. Today I'm announcing the unsealing of a three-count indictment, charging Sean Combs with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, interstate transportation for prostitution. I was f***ed up. I hit rock bottom. But I made no excuses. I'm disgusted. I'm so sorry. Until you're wearing an orange jumpsuit, it's not real. Now it's real. From his meteoric rise to his shocking fall from grace, from law and crime, this is the rise and fall of Diddy. Listen to the rise and fall of Diddy exclusively with Wondery Plus. The Astros' 2018 season comes to an end when they're knocked out of the playoffs by Alex Cora's Red Sox,

who go on to win the World Series. And while rumors continue to swirl about the Astros' sign-stealing systems, none of them are ever substantiated. So as the 2019 season gets underway, the Astros get back to winning. Both their hitting and pitching is dominant, and by the season's end, they're back in the playoffs for a third year in a row, it's a tremendous accomplishment for a team once called the Disastros. But not everyone believes the Astros' success is down to talent alone. So as the New York Yankees prepare to face off against the Astros in the American League Championship Series, Yankees manager Aaron Boone searches for signs of foul play. During the very first game of the series at Minute Maid Park, Boone stands in his team's dugout with his eyes fixed on Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka and his ears tuned to the Astros' dugout.

Boone watches Tanaka wind up to pitch, and suddenly he hears a sound that unnerves him, a whistle. Someone is whistling near the field. One of Boone's fellow coaches elbows him in the ribs and nods toward the Astros' dugout. Boone locks eyes with Astros' hitting coach, Alex Cintron. The Yankees' manager is convinced Cintron is whistling to players to communicate stolen signs, and Boone has no intention of allowing that to continue. So Boone begins shouting at Cintron from the dugout,

telling the Astros' bench coach to knock off the whistling. at Cintron from the dugout, telling the Astros bench coach to knock off the whistling. But Cintron just shouts back, using some colorful language to ask Boone what he's going to do about it. Boone doesn't back down. So between innings, he marches out to the home plate umpire to relay his concerns. The umpire sides with Boone, issuing a warning to the Astros dugout. But getting the umpire involved only escalates the conflict. Soon, players and coaches from both teams are hurling threats, insults, and middle fingers back and forth between dugouts. Eventually, the Astros' and Yankees' coaches settle down their clubs and return to the game.

Boone tries to regain his composure in order to set a good example for his players, but the truth is, he's growing sick and tired of Houston's antics. Between the sign-stealing rumors and these disrespectful outbursts on the field, this is a team he no longer respects. A few days after the incident with the Yankees, Astros manager A.J. Hinch sits before reporters in a press conference to address the cheating allegations against the team. When asked about the whistling, Hinch denies any wrongdoing, saying there's no evidence of anything.

He follows this up by calling out the rumor mongers, saying that anyone who thinks the Astros are cheating and decides to talk about it with reporters should do so on the record. And after the Astros successfully defeat the Yankees and advance to the World Series, Hinch isn't the only member of the Astros organization feeling defiant. As champagne and beer flows in the Astros' locker room, Brandon Taubman, now the team's assistant general manager, spots a group of female sports reporters near the celebration. One of these has been critical of Roberto Osuna's signing from the previous year,

given the allegations that Osuna had assaulted the mother of his child. So Taubman, after having a few too many, decides to confront her at the party, shouting repeatedly, thank God we got Osuna. This incident garners media coverage of its own, one with a headline that reads, Astro staffer outburst at female reporters Thank God We Got Osuna. This incident garners media coverage of its own, one with a headline that reads, Ultimately, Taubman is fired over this incident, and the Astros issue an apology to the reporter. But observers around the league believe the whole episode points to a deeper moral rot inside the Astros.

And on the field, the Astros are struggling, too, losing the 2019 World Series to the Washington Nationals. But as the team goes into the offseason, the future still looks bright. They're one of the most talented and consistent teams in all of baseball, with three consecutive seasons winning 100 games or more, a rarity in the major leagues. But for at least one dogged reporter, there's more to the story, and all the denials in the world won't change his mind. For 13 months, former Houston Chronicle reporter Evan Drellick has been investigating the Astros' sign-stealing rumors. And during that time, he's learned a lot about how and when it

all happened and who participated. But so far, all his sources have insisted on remaining anonymous. There is a strict code of silence among ballplayers, and no one wants to openly accuse anyone of breaking the rules. So when veteran sports reporter Ken Rosenthal joins Drellick's investigation, their primary goal is finding someone who's willing to speak on the record. Rosenthal has spent years doing on-camera work for Fox Sports. He's earned two Sports Emmy Awards, and he served as senior baseball writer for The Athletic. So Drellick is hoping that Rosenthal's reputation might coach someone into coming forward. And finally, in November 2019, the two journalists

think they may have found someone. Pitcher Mike Fiers had played with the World Series-winning Astros in 2017 before being traded away. And the word around the league is that Fiers has been warning other teams about the Astros' tactics. According to their sources, Fiers' transparency has made him something of a pariah among his former Astros teammates. So on November 9th, just two weeks after the 2019 World Series, Rosenthal decides to give him a call. Hello? Hey Mike, this is Ken Rosenthal from The Athletic.

You have a few minutes? Hey Ken, sure. Always happy to talk baseball. What's up? Well, Evan Drellick and I, we're writing a piece about sign stealing in 2017, specifically about the Astros. That's old news, isn't it? Well, we think there's more to the story that hasn't been fully reported. All right. Well, what have you found out? Rosenthal reads Fires the details they've gathered about the trash can scheme, and Fires grows silent, taking it all in.

We're hoping to publish this story next week, Mike, and we don't necessarily need an Astros player to go on the record, but it would make a huge difference if someone did. I'm hoping that someone might be you. I don't even know where to start. Well, let's start with this. Did you hear any inaccuracies in what I just described? No. I mean, it's all pretty much what I know. That was the setup.

With the trash can and minute made park. Yeah. I never read the rule book fully. You know, I don't know what the rule actually was around that kind of sign stealing, but I knew what they were doing was messed up. The team was willing to go above and beyond to win, you know. And as a pitcher, you have no say in it. It's not helping you at all. And there were other guys who didn't like it. Well, Mike, it seems like you have a lot to say on this.

And if I'm hearing you correctly, you were put in a pretty difficult position that season. Well, it sucked. I mean, that kind of scheme, that's not playing the game the right way. Are you comfortable with me quoting you in this piece? Uh-uh. Well, that's the whole thing about this.

I don't want to be put out there. But at the same time, I don't care anymore. Yeah? Why's that? I mean, I've already told other teams all about that crap. Let them know before we play the Astros. Hey, these Houston guys have some strategies going on. Be on the lookout, you know? Well, it sounds like you really wanted to take care of your team. Yeah, of course. I mean, there are guys, young pitchers, who are losing their jobs because they're going in without knowing what's really going down in a game. Young guys are getting knocked around in the first couple of innings, and the next thing you know, they're sent down to the minors. It's terrible. And that's why I was willing to tell my team. I just want to help them out, you know, the young guys. Well, if I go on the record with

you, that's what I'm trying to do here. Just help people out. Well, Mike, I think this article will do that. I mean, I know you're taking a risk talking to me on the record, but I think you'll be helping people, and I want to thank you for that. Rosenthal reiterates to Fires that they're hoping to publish soon, and that someone will be in touch with him about fact-checking. Then he hangs up the phone and leans back in his desk chair, thinking about what just happened. Fiers isn't just willing to confirm the Astros' illegal sign-stealing methods. He's willing to go on the record about how it's degrading the integrity of the game and hurting other players. Rosenthal knows that Fiers' testimony will be a game-changer.

It may even help reform the league itself. He also knows that it could be devastating to the Astros. But the players and coaches participating in sign-stealing knew what they were doing was wrong. And if the front office and the general manager didn't know about the scheme, they should have. And everyone in the Astros organization will have to be prepared to face the consequences. I'm Jake Warren, and in our first season of Finding, I set out on a very personal quest to find the woman who saved my mum's life.

You can listen to Finding Natasha right now exclusively on Wondery+. In season two, I found myself caught up in a new journey to help someone I've never even met. But a couple of years ago, I came across a social media post by a person named Loti. It read in part, Three years ago today that I attempted to jump off this bridge, but this wasn't my time to go. A gentleman named Andy saved my life. I still haven't found him. This is a story that I came across purely by chance, but it instantly moved me.

And it's taken me to a place where I've had to consider some deeper issues around mental health. This is season two of Finding. And this time, if all goes to plan, we'll be finding Andy. You can listen to Finding Andy and Finding Natasha exclusively and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. On November 12th, 2019, The Athletic publishes an article by Evan Drellick and Ken Rosenthal detailing the Astros' illegal sign-stealing operations. The next day, they publish a follow-up article

naming Alex Cora and Carlos Beltran as the key drivers of the scheme. The article's specificity and naming of names, along with direct quotes from pitcher Mike Fiers, are damning for the Astros. Within days, the league opens a formal investigation and offers immunity to any Astros player willing to share their accounts of the sign-stealing operation. Twenty-three current and former Astros players come forward to share their experiences. Two months later, on January 13, 2020, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred publishes the

league's nine-page investigative report on the Astros scheme. The report singles out General Manager Jeff Luno, saying that while it could not find conclusive evidence that Luno knew about the operation, he should be held personally accountable for the conduct of his club. The report also calls out manager A.J. Hinch for being aware of the illegal sign-stealing but not doing more to stop it, and former bench coach Alex Cora for his involvement in developing the scheme. But when it comes to the Astros players, there's only one that Manfred mentions by name, Carlos Beltran. And for the now-retired slugger, the news could not have come at a worse time. Two months earlier, Beltran had signed a three-year contract to serve as manager for the New York Mets.

Managing the Mets is a dream job for Beltran, one he hopes will allow him to maintain a relationship with a sport he loves for many years into the future. But at a meeting with reporters shortly after the release of the Manfred Report, it seems that all anyone wants to talk about is the Astros' sign-stealing scandal. Beltran tries his best to focus on the upcoming season with the Mets, but the scandal won't die. So when Beltran is summoned to a meeting with Mets executives, just three days after Manfred's report goes public, he knows his job is on the line. Inside a conference room at the Mets' spring training facility in Florida, Beltran stares out the window as a group of team executives

express their concerns about how this scandal might jeopardize the Mets' 2020 season. As the executives talk and talk, Beltran watches the sun sink toward the horizon outside. He can feel himself retreating inward into a quiet, closed-off state he hasn't experienced in years. But he knows if he's going to keep his job, he has to come out of his shell and regain the respect of the room. So Beltran returns his gaze to the conference room

and looks into the eyes of Met's general manager, Brody Van Wagenen. Brody, look, you have to understand. We were just trying to use the conference room and looks into the eyes of Mets general manager Brody Van Wagenen. Brody, look, you have to understand. We were just trying to use the replay room the same way we thought everyone else was. No one in the front office told us it was wrong. That may be true, Carlos, but the reality of the situation is you were the only player named in the report. This isn't going away until you take some responsibility for your role in this. Beltran looks down at his hands, hands that have swung a bat in the major leagues thousands of times, helped him hit over 400 home

runs. He thought he'd be in the Hall of Fame one day, but now he wonders if all he'll be remembered for is this scandal. Yeah, I do know that what we did was wrong. There were times when we weren't really sure what the line was with all the new tech in the replaying room. But, yeah, deep down, yeah, I knew it was wrong. Van Wagenen leans forward in his seat. Well, it's good to hear that from you, Carlos. But you can understand the position it's put us in. Yeah, of course.

But I don't want my screw-up to be what screws up the entire season for us in New York. I don't want this to be a distraction. I want to be able to move forward. That's what we want, too. But the thing is, we aren't the only voices that matter in this. What do you mean by that? Carlos, you've got to put yourself in our players' positions right now. Especially our pitchers. Take Jacob deGrom. He's our ace. We can't have a winning season without him on the mound, and he's pretty sure he's been a victim of the Astros' illegal sign-stealing. Now, is he supposed to be coached by you? Is he supposed to trust you? I think it's a tough sell. Yeah, I hear you. But I think, and the last thing we need is to start the season with a fractured clubhouse. So how can I make this better? I can

talk to the players individually. I can earn their respect in private. Carlos, we're not sure that this can be fixed up like that. It's not that simple. And the media is going to be watching you at every turn, which means they're going to be watching us at every turn. And we don't need that heat this season. Beltran nods, sensing where this conversation is going. You guys want me to step down. We don't want that, Carlos, no.

We're still mulling over options, but we can't handle that many distractions during the season. Our players deserve the chance to start 2020 on the right note. Well, okay, but I'd like to make this right. Managing the Mets, this is what I've dreamed of for years. I know I can do a great job here, and we appreciate that, Carlos. It's why we brought you here. So let's all sleep on it, right? And we'll continue the conversation tomorrow. Beltran nods and rises from the conference table and there are handshakes all around.

But as Beltran leaves the conference room and heads toward the elevator, he realizes he no longer knows the fate of his job. Or if the league that he's called home for over 20 years has just said goodbye to him for good. In the days and weeks after Commissioner Rob Manfred's report is released, the axe falls swiftly on those deemed to have played key roles in the Astros' sign-stealing scandal. In mid-January 2020, Carlos Beltran is released from his management contract with the New York Mets.

The same week, the Red Sox part ways with their own manager, Alex Cora. And later, Manfred suspends Cora for the entire 2020 season for his role in the cheating scandal. But with COVID lockdowns leading to a shortened season and games being played to empty seats, few notice Cora's absence from the game.

Astros owner Jim Crane also fires manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luno, saying the team needs to move forward with a clean slate. As for Crane himself, Manfred's report explicitly states that the Astros owner was completely unaware of the team's unethical conduct. But when Crane holds a news conference in mid-February, his comments about the scandal land poorly with the media and with baseball fans. He says, Our opinion is that the sign-stealing didn't impact the game. We had a good team. We won the World Series. We'll leave it at that. But when reporters press him further,

Crane appears to backtrack, saying, I didn't say it didn't impact the game. Fired from his position with the Astros, Jeff Luno is left wrestling with his abrupt exit from Major League Baseball. Although Manfred's investigation did not turn up any proof that Luno was either involved in or even aware of the Astros' trashcan banging scheme, the commissioner places blame for the scandal squarely at Luno's feet. Manfred's report states that Luno valued rewards and results over other considerations, and that this created a very problematic culture where cheating was allowed to thrive. So for months, Luno stays silent, refusing to talk to the press. But in the fall of 2020, he decides he can't stay quiet any longer.

That October, he sits down with a local Houston news reporter named Vanessa Richardson to share his side of the story. With a small black microphone clipped to his shirt and lights pointed down on him, Luno prepares to convince the baseball world that he didn't do anything wrong. And within the first few minutes of this interview, Luno tells Richardson that he did not know about either the trash can banging scheme or the video decoding scheme in the replay room. He vigorously lists off all the ways he feels he worked to prevent sign-stealing within the Astros organization,

including voting to have the MLB install cameras in clubhouses to monitor potential cheating. Luno says he also emailed the league in 2018 and 2019, assuring them that the Astros would engage in proper conduct. And he emailed his replay room and coaching staff, saying, let's please follow the rules. Then Lou no laments how he's portrayed in the media, like some mastermind of a sign-stealing operation. He says he accepts his punishment as GM, but he can't help but ask, why is it all on him? He's tired of his integrity being thrown into question. He won't let people label him a cheater, and he won't let people defame his 16 years of hard work in the league,

especially over something he did not have any part in. Just weeks after his interview, Jeff Luno sued the Houston Astros for wrongful termination. He sought $22 million in damages for being scapegoated in the sign-stealing scandal. The lawsuit was dismissed in February 2021. The next year, Luno re-entered the world of professional sports by purchasing a pair of soccer teams, one in Spain and one in Mexico, the country where he grew up. Alex Cora served out his one-year league suspension, then rejoined the Red Sox as manager in 2021, a position he continues to hold.

Carlos Beltran struggled to find his path back to Major League Baseball. After being let go by the Mets, he joined the Yankees TV network in 2022 and spoke publicly about the cheating scandal for the first time, acknowledging his role in it, but also expressing frustration that every player received immunity except him. Then in 2023, the Mets welcomed Beltran back into their organization with a position in their front office. As for the Houston Astros, the team was fined $5 million for the sign-stealing scandal and forced to forfeit their

first and second round draft picks. But despite protests from some fans, they kept their 2017 World Series title. And in 2020, COVID protocols meant that the Astros played to empty stadiums. But when they returned to their first road games, with fans in the stands in 2021, the team was loudly booed as they walked onto the field. Even new players, who had no involvement in the Astros' cheating, bore the burden of their predecessor's guilt. And in the Astros' cheating, bore the burden of their predecessors' guilt. And in the immediate aftermath of the scandal, Major League Baseball vowed to crack down on players and coaches visiting replay rooms. The league banned visits to the room entirely in 2020. But it didn't take long for the league to institute a more relaxed policy.

Players can still watch TV monitors with a feed of the game, but the feed must be on a time delay. And the league continued to bring more technology into stadiums. Before the start of the 2022 season, the league approved the use of PitchCom, a wireless device that allows catchers to communicate signs to their pitchers electronically without having to use hand signals. But as of 2024, this technology has not been widely adopted. Artificial intelligence is also being explored by teams as yet another way to enhance baseball analytics and power even more detailed performance stats for players. But as America saw with the Houston Astros, sometimes innovations deployed with the best intentions can be exploited by teams looking for an edge at any cost.

And as technology continues to become a more integral part of the game, Major League Baseball will have to stay one step ahead of how that technology is being used, or it won't be long before baseball finds itself caught up in its next cheating scandal. From Wondering, this is Episode four of Houston Astros caught stealing for American scandal. In our next episode, I speak with Evan Drelin, author of Winning Fixes Everything, How Baseball's Brightest Minds Created Sports' Biggest Mess. We'll talk about how he and Ken Rosenthal broke the story of the sign-stealing scandal and what it means for the future of baseball. If you're enjoying American Scandal, you can unlock exclusive seasons on Wondery Plus. Binge new seasons first and listen completely ad-free when you join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a survey at wondery.com slash survey. If you'd like to learn more about this story, we recommend the books Winning Fixes Everything by Evan Drellick and Cheated by Andy Martino. This episode contains reenactments and dramatized details. And while in most cases we can't know exactly what was said, all our dramatizations are based on historical research. American Scandal is hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsey Graham, for Airship. Audio editing by Christian Paraga. Sound design by Gabriel Gould. Music by Lindsey Graham. This episode is written by A.J. Marischal. Edited by Emma Cortland. Fact-checking by Alyssa Jung-Perry. Produced by

John Reed. Managing Producer, Olivia Fonte. Senior Producer, Andy Herman. Development by Stephanie Jens. Executive Producers are Jenny Lauer-Beckman, Marshall Louis, and Erin O'Flaherty for Wondery.