The Houston Astros sign stealing scandal was a major scandal in Major League Baseball (MLB) that broke in November 2019, in which several members of the Houston Astros were caught and disciplined for illegally using a video camera system to steal signs from opposing teams during games in 2017 and 2018.
The 2017 World Series champion Houston Astros visiting the White House. The legitimacy of their victory came under question following the scandal.
Pitcher Mike Fiers, pictured here with the Houston Astros in 2017, brought the scandal to light in November 2019 during an interview with reporters of The Athletic.
Many non-verbal cues were used by the Astros dugout to let the at-bat know what pitch was coming next. One of those cues was banging on a trash can. Opposing pitchers took notice of how the banging of the trash can aligned with a specific type of pitch being signaled by the catcher.
Minute Maid Park, the Astros' home ballpark, in 2010
Jeff Luhnow
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Jeff Luhnow is an American former baseball executive and owner of Mexican club Cancún and Leganés of Spain. He worked for the St. Louis Cardinals in their scouting department from 2003 through 2011, before joining the Houston Astros in December 2011. On January 13, 2020, Luhnow was fired by the Astros after Major League Baseball suspended him for the entire 2020 season as a result of the electronic sign-stealing scandal. Prior to working in baseball, Luhnow was a business entrepreneur.
