3 Biggest Victims of Red Sox and Astros Sign-Stealing Scandal

On Tuesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic dropped a bombshell report which accused the Boston Red Sox of stealing signs during their title-winning 2018 campaign.

Though it hasn't yet been proven that their antics extended into the postseason, the Red Sox unquestionably gained an unfair competitive advantage.

When you couple Boston's shenanigans with that of the Houston Astros, dozens of other clubs were potentially deprived of success in the postseason. With that in mind, let's shine the microscope on the organizations that were most victimized.

3. Oakland Athletics

Wild Card Round - Oakland Athletics Workout / Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

Care to ponder what Oakland could have done in the AL West had the Astros not cheated across the last couple of seasons? They absolutely would have given Houston a run for their money in the race for the division crown. Instead, the Athletics have since had to appear in a do-or-die Wild Card Games on the road in 2018 and 2019. They lost both.

2. New York Yankees

New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton / Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

It'd normally be arduous to convince baseball buffs outside of the Bronx to commiserate with the Yankees, but they absolutely deserve your solace in this case. In their last three postseason exits, the Pinstripes have been eliminated by Houston (twice) and the Red Sox, and two of those defeats came in the ALCS. Playing the hypothetical "what could have been" game really makes you think what the Yanks could have done with a fair competitor in the opposite dugout. Perhaps the "Chase for 28" would have been completed already.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers SP Clayton Kershaw / Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

The poor Dodgers. They haven't hoisted the Commissioner's Trophy since 1988, and have only appeared in the World Series in 2017 and 2018. Both teams that defeated them -- Boston and Houston -- are now being investigated by the MLB over using technology to steal signs. You could argue the Dodgers' shortcomings in October are their own fault, but you can't help but sympathize with them over the fact that they've faced two alleged cheaters in both of their opportunities to end the aforementioned 31-year drought.