Prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic bringing the sport to a halt, the Houston Astros were the talk of Major League Baseball due to the fallout from their sign-stealing scandal.
The organization was found guilty of electronically stealing their opponents’ signs during the 2017 season. Among the punishments handed down by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred were a hefty fine, the loss of draft picks, and former Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch each being dealt one-year suspensions.
While those represent some of the harshest penalties ever levied, the Astros’ 2017 World Series championship over the Los Angeles Dodgers remained intact.