Inside the Astros

Former Astros World Series Star Tells All About 2017 Sign-Stealing Scandal

Former Houston Astros star Josh Reddick didn't hold back about the infamous Astros World Series run in 2017.
Jeremy Gretzer|
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Out of all the former players on the Houston Astros, Josh Reddick is certainly one to remember. His infectious energy and passion on and off the field brought many fans to support him as a player and as a person in the city of Houston.

Reddick joined the Foul Territory podcast with AJ Pierzynski, Scott Braun, and Erik Kratz
On Thursday. Each of them talked about the future of the Astros offseason. Reddick shared thoughts on what moves his former team should make. He also talked about the infamous sign-stealing scandal that cannot seem to get out of the media and Astro-hater heads.

Reddick Isn't Afraid to Discuss the Astros 2017 Season

Unlike many former Astros, Reddick wasn't afraid to talk about that season, especially with what went down behind closed doors.

Everything that happened during the Astros' 2017 season is public knowledge, The former World Series champion is adamant that he did not use the sign stealing tactic.

Houston Astros Josh Reddick
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"It's something I'm not trying to run away from," he said. "It's part of us as players. It's something that happened. I'll tell you till the day I die I [Reddick] did not use it. I'm one of the guys that did not use the system. So it's not like I'm making stuff up. It's been proven that people are going to be biased, and I get it. I hit over .300 for the only time in my career, had the highest OPS of my career. All the numbers add up. But yeah, you know what? You know how many fastballs I got hitting between George Springer and José Altuve? It's a lot easier to hit when you're getting a ton of fastballs with a World Series MVP and a league MVP behind you."

Jose Altuve's "Buzzer" Talk

It's never a complete discussion of the Astros cheating scandal without talking about Game 6 of the 2019 ALCS. Pierzynski asked Reddick about the alleged "buzzer" that Altuve was reportedly wearing following his walk-off home run against Aroldis Chapman.

"So wait, José Altuve didn’t have a wire buzzing on his chest?" Pierzynski sneered. "That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. And if he did, gosh, that’s awesome, but I can’t believe it. He’d be the only one, and that’d be unbelievable."

Reddick's reply was comical as well: "It sounds crazy, but if you’ve ever seen that tattoo he has on his chest, it was the worst tattoo I’ve ever seen, and that was one reason he didn’t want to take his jersey off. His wife didn’t appreciate the tattoo either and didn’t want him showing his chest, so he respected her wishes.

"Me? If I hit a ball like that, I’m probably ripping everything off. I wouldn’t even make it around home plate with anything but sliders on. So credit to him for keeping it real and keeping his emotions in check. But a buzzer? Come on, guys. Everyone listening — Yankees fans — you get beat by him every year in the postseason. Let it go."

Reddick Talks Mike Fiers

Pierzynski was thankful for Reddick being very candid on this matter, but that didn't stop there. Reddick didn't hold back, including his opinion of controversial starting pitcher Mike Fiers.

The Astros pitching fell into a slump in the summer of 2017. They dealt with big blows to the top of their rotation in Collin McHugh, Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers.

Charlie Morton and Brad Peacock were the only viable starters and the Astros didn't do too much at the July 31st trade deadline. Aside from acquiring Francisco Liriano, who was a complete non-factor on the downswing of his career.

To help with salvaging the missing slots of the starting rotation, Mike Fiers went on an absolute tear, going 4-2 with a 2.16 ERA, in 10 starts according to Brian McTaggart on MLB.com.

He came back down to Earth, going on a stretch of eight starts of a 1-5 record and a 7.90 ERA. While the trade deadline came and went, the waiver trade deadline on Aug. 31st still existed at the time. Seconds before it expired, the Astros acquired Justin Verlander from the Detroit Tigers.

After Fiers' last start, then-manager AJ Hinch took him out of the rotation when the rest of the starting pitchers came back from injuries. Fiers initially was fine with this decision. But was not selected to pitch the postseason.

Fiers received his ring while playing for the Tigers a year later. Nevertheless, Hinch's decision may have triggered him to rat out the Astros sign stealing scandal, which came to light two years later.

At least that's what Reddick said.

"We [Fiers] weren't on the best of terms when I signed there," he said. "Didn't really appreciate him before and then he showed his true colors when the Justin Verlander trade happened," Reddick mentioned.

According to Reddick, Fiers seemed to get jealous and not recognize how important it was for the Astros to get one of the best pitchers in the game. After joining Houston, Verlander aged like fine wine, winning two championship rings and Cy Young awards over the following seven years in an Astros uniform. At age 42, he is still pitching in the Majors. Fiers, 40, was out of the league after 2021.

"When you play with a guy and you see the things that are said in text conversations about acquiring the best pitcher in baseball, it's kind of upsetting when you're trying to go out there and win it all," Reddick said. "You're already one of the better teams in baseball, and then you get a guy like Justin Verlander to your rotation. You're getting mad about it."

Reddick went on to compare himself in Fiers' shoes if the Astros hypothetically traded for Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, a top three hitter at the time.

Fiers Isn't A Team Player

"if I could compare, that'd be like somebody like me losing their job to Mike Trout in his prime and I'd be like, am I going to be mad about that? Like, bro, go get me a World Series ring. I'm good. I'll be the man on the top step high-fiving you every time you go deep," he said.

Reddick based his point on the decision to go get Verlander that evidently left a stain on Fiers' reputation in the league, accusing him of not being a team player.

"Be a team. That's just not being a team guy. That's a brotherhood that you've not only broken with former teammates' trust, you've broken guys' trust who don't even know you or have played against you.," Reddick said. "So I hope he's happy he did it. I don't know what he's doing nowadays, but you know, good for him. I guess he can sleep better at night."

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Jeremy Gretzer
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