For a moment it appeared that perhaps Clayton Kershaw had moved on from the Houston Astros' previous sign-stealing cheating scandal. The Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher was recently asked which players are the best top of the batting order hitters he has faced. Kershaw was seemingly on the verge of giving Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman credit, but then he immediately mentioned the Astros' scandal and accused them of cheating, quote via Dodgers Nation.
“The best teams… leadoff-wise, Altuve and Bregman were good,” Kershaw said, “but they cheated so that's not really the same.”
The MLB world has moved on from the Astros cheating scandal for the most part. Sure, Bregman, Altuve, and even former Astros players such as Carlos Correa and George Springer still receive negative reactions from fans at times. However, players do not discuss what occurred in 2017 all that often.
Kershaw, though, clearly is not over it. Of course, the Astros' scandal may have cost the Dodgers a World Series victory so his grudge is understandable.
For those who may not remember, the Astros' sign-stealing scandal was unveiled after the 2019 season. They were accused of using technology to steal signs, and the Astros reportedly banged on trash cans in the dugout to signal to batters which pitches were coming.
The Astros have won two World Series in the past decade. Houston formed a dynasty of sorts, finding plenty of success. However, the Altuve and Bregman-led team's legacy will always be in question as a result of the sign-stealing scandal.
Some fans have completely moved on and do not think twice about what previously occurred. Others, especially Dodgers fans, are quick to mention it. And Dodgers players, including future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw, are not going to forget what happened anytime soon.
It will be interesting to see if Altuve or Bregman respond to Kershaw.
