Major League Baseball on Wednesday handed down its punishment to the Boston Red Sox after a three-month investigation into sign-stealing allegations against the team.
Ultimately, the discipline included docking a second-round pick in the 2020 draft, and suspending a video replay system operator without pay. Former Sox manager Alex Cora was suspended, as well — not for anything related to his time with Boston — but for his role in the Houston Astros’ scandal.
The Red Sox released a statement from its president & CEO apologizing for the rule violations. In a conference call with reporters Wednesday evening, Sam Kennedy also spoke more in detail.
“I am relieved the report got to the truth and to the bottom of what actually happened,” Kennedy said on the call. “I do feel a sense of relief and am glad the investigative process is over.”
Still, Kennedy doesn’t see this as a win, and per the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, any violation is unacceptable.
Sam Kennedy: 'Rule violations did occur — during the 2018 regular season only.' Despite description of violations as 'episodic' and 'limited in scope and impact,' he says that any violation is unacceptable.
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) April 22, 2020
“Yes, there’s a sense of relief, but to be clear, we’re not taking any victory laps,” Kennedy said, via CLNS Media’s Mike Petraglia.
Some of the uncertainty surrounding Boston’s upcoming season finally is behind them, aside from knowing when or if the season actually will happen.
