Kris Bryant Calls Astros' Sign-Stealing Scandal 'Worse Than Steriods'

Kris Bryant is the latest player to rip the Houston Astros following their sign-stealing scandal and weak public apologies.

Bryant addressed the media on Saturday morning at the Chicago Cubs' spring training complex in Mesa, Ariz.

"I personally think it's worse than steroids," Bryant said when asked about Houston's scheme.

The Cubs third baseman did not hold back while criticizing the apologies the Astros made on Thursday morning.

"What a disgrace that was. Watching their apology, there's no sincerity."

Bryant also added he believes the theory that Astros players wore signal-transmitting buzzers in 2019.

"I totally believe that, too. If you find a way to cheat the system in one way, you're only going to continue to try to push the boundary," he said.

Bryant joins a growing group of players around the league to call out the Astros in the wake of their cheating operation. On Friday, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger and pitcher Ross Stripling expressed their anger over the Astros' actions.

"Those guys were cheating for three years. I think what people don't realize is [José] Altuve stole an MVP from [Aaron] Judge in '17. Everyone knows they stole the ring from us," Bellinger said.

Earlier this week, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer compared the Astros' sign stealing to the Black Sox scandal.

News regarding Houston's illicit sign-stealing scheme has dominated baseball conversations since the end of the 2019 season. On Jan. 13, commissioner Rob Manfred released a nine-page report detailing how Houston cheated during the 2017-18 regular seasons and postseasons. Manfred suspended Astros manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow through the 2020 World Series, but team owner Jim Crane subsequently fired them.

The Red Sox and Mets later parted ways with managers Alex Cora and Carlos Beltrán after both men were named in MLB's report. Cora served as the Astros' bench coach in 2017, while Beltrán was a member of the World Series-winning roster.