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Red Sox stripped of pick, Alex Cora suspended in sign stealing scams

NEW YORK — The Boston Red Sox were stripped of their second-round pick in this year’s amateur draft by Major League Baseball for sign stealing in 2018 and former manager Alex Cora was suspended through the 2020 postseason for his previous conduct as bench coach with the Houston Astros.

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced his decision Wednesday, concluding Red Sox replay system operator J.T. Watkins broke rules by using in-game video to revise sign sequences provided to players. Watkins was suspended without pay through this year’s postseason and prohibited from serving as the replay room operator through 2021.