The long-anticipated sign-stealing letter the New York Yankees have fought to keep secret will be unsealed.
It’s happening, folks.
Per Evan Drellich of The Athletic, the letter alleging how much MLB knew about sign-stealing conducted by the New York Yankees will be unsealed.
For those unfamiliar case, here’s the short version. After the Houston Astros were caught cheating between the 2019 and 2020 seasons, a lawsuit was filed against daily fantasy sports magnate DraftKings. The plaintiffs allege that when MLB released a statement addressing sign-stealing during a New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox series in 2017, as in Apple Watch-Gate, the extent of what was found was largely hidden.
Granted, the Yankees have lobbied hard to keep this letter sealed, and we probably won’t know all the details for a couple of weeks. But even if egregious sign-stealing is found, what’s going to happen? Besides the Apple Watches used on Boston’s end, the Yankees probably went the 2018 Red Sox route. As in, using the video room to learn the signs, and then get a runner on second base to relay them.
Now, we all recall the Red Sox too were investigated for alleged cheating in 2018, and rules over video room access have since changed. Do you know what Boston’s punishment was at the end of the day? The replay operator who helped drew a one-year suspension and the Red Sox lost a second-round pick.
Long story short, this is probably a whole lotta nothing. If there’s something bad in there, why would the Yankees not be punished already? It’s not like they set up cameras and banged on a trash can behind home plate.
What’s of a greater concern is if all MLB teams were practicing, essentially, systematic cheating. If that gets out, then this brand new labor agreement that does so much good for the game might be Rob Manfred’s true swan song.