Red Sox, Astros Clash Over Sign-Stealing During Game

During a heated 7-3 game between the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros, tensions flared over accusations of sign stealing, with Astros pitcher Héctor Neris intentionally balking Trevor Story to third base to prevent him from relaying pitch information. Red Sox announcer Will Middlebrooks criticized the Astros for their complaints, highlighting the irony given Houston's notorious 2017 sign-stealing scandal involving illegal electronic methods that led to significant MLB penalties. Middlebrooks emphasized that picking up a pitcher's grip from second base is a legal and longstanding part of baseball, contrasting it with the Astros' past cheating. The incident sparked benches to clear after Neris confronted Red Sox third base coach Kyle Hudson. The situation was further complicated by the involvement of Alex Cora, former Astros bench coach during the scandal and current Red Sox manager, and Alex Bregman, an implicated Astros player now with Boston. Both teams have faced sign-stealing allegations, underscoring the ongoing controversy and lingering distrust stemming from the Astros' 2017 scandal.