The Boston Red Sox 2018 video-replay “scandal” finally has answers after nearly six months of investigation by Major League Baseball.
BREAKING: #RedSox penalties:
*Loss of 2020 2nd-round pick.
*Ban of replay operator J.T. Watkins through 2020 playoffs and from doing same job in ‘21.
*Ban of Alex Cora through ‘20 playoffs, but only for conduct with #Astros.
Story with @EvanDrellich: https://t.co/6Ysn9hsRFa
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) April 22, 2020
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drelich releasing Wednesday afternoon that the Red Sox will be stripped of their 2020 2nd round pick in this year’s 2020 draft, a ban of replay operator J.T. Watkins through 2020 playoffs from doing same job in 2021, and the ban of former Red Sox Manager and former Astros bench coach Alex Cora his action only conducted with the Astros.
So what does this mean for the Red Sox? It means that the MLB did not find much, if anything at all on the 2018 World Series team that won the World Series. As many Red Sox players were adamant that the Red Sox weren’t guilty of anything throughout the entire offseason, we finally find out that their testimony was probably true.
From @EvanDrellich @TheAthletic report: Investigation included interviews with 65 witnesses, including 34 current and former Red Sox players, as well as reviews of tens of thousands of emails, text messages, video clips and photographs.
— Tom Leyden (@TomLeyden) April 22, 2020
The Red Sox will lose a 2020 second-round draft pick for something that is unclear at the time. If the replay operator was at fault, it is unsure as to why the Red Sox will have to pay the penalty.
The #RedSox today released the following statement from President & CEO Sam Kennedy in response to Major League Baseball’s report: pic.twitter.com/FLEMdwzgfI
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 22, 2020
As for former Manager Alex Cora, he will need to sit out this 2020 season as Ron Roenicke will lead Boston as the manager, still with the “interim” title. The growing narrative that Alex Cora will become the Red Sox manager once again in 2021 is very strong. It is quite possible that we see Cora manage the Boston Red Sox once again in the very near future.
ALL ABOARD THE ALEX CORA 2021 BACK AS RED SOX MANAGER TRAIN! ? https://t.co/j2jymn0ajn
— Jordan Moore (@iJordanMoore) April 22, 2020
Alex Cora 100% coming back to the Sox in 2021 pic.twitter.com/makPKjDzD1
— Steve Perrault (@Steve_Perrault) April 22, 2020
