Despite MLB’s denials, rumors have begun circulating that Astros players Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman wore electronic devices that “buzzed” to warn them about coming pitches in baseball’s sign-stealing scandal.
The rumor mill kicked into high gear after a Twitter account, reportedly owned by Carlos Beltran’s niece, began claiming that the two players wore devices to help them react to the pitches from opposing teams.
The tweets were posted after Beltran announced he was stepping down as the Mets’ manager amid the growing scandal over Major League Baseball’s investigation into the Astros’ sign-stealing scheme.
MLB insists that the story of Astros players wearing electronic devices was already debunked by their investigation that resulted in the one-year suspensions of Astros manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow — both of whom were then fired by the team.
“MLB explored wearable devices during the investigation but found no evidence to substantiate it,” the league said in a statement.
from MLB with so much coming out publicly about Altuve HR to end ALCS and other incidents: "MLB explored wearable devices during the investigation but found no evidence to substantiate it.” That investigation, MLB said, includes 2019.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) January 16, 2020
But a pair of tweets posted today, seem to tell a different story.
5 different people within baseball, not connected to each other at all, have told me 'the buzzers are very real' with the same details and shit.
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) January 16, 2020
The tweets claim that both Altuve and Bregman “wore devices that buzzed on inside right shoulder from hallway video guy.” The account added that the rumor was corroborated from other sources, too, and that the claims “match up with what I’ve been told from about (five) different parties.”
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer also said he “heard this from multiple parties too.”
I’ve heard this from multiple parties too, for what it’s worth… https://t.co/zDlp0x4bKs
— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) January 16, 2020
There is also a video that has raised some eyebrows.
The video shows Altuve after hitting a home run in Game 6 of the 2019 ALCS against the Yankees, when he shied away from letting his teammates rip off his jersey.
Jose Altuve WAS a great story, now he’s just a giant fraud. Look at this painfully terrible lie https://t.co/3qcBsmdhA6
— Jason McIntyre (@jasonrmcintyre) January 16, 2020
Some wonder just why Altuve was so reluctant to let his teammates have their fun if he wasn’t trying to hide something under his jersey.
Altuve explained his actions away telling Fox Sports, “Last time I did that, I got in trouble with my wife.”
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