Chris Young Reportedly Admits to Starting Red Sox Sign-Stealing With Apple Watch Trick He Learned From Yankees
By Jerry Trotta
The Boston Red Sox remain under investigation by the MLB for sign-stealing, particularly using their video replay room to illegally do so in 2018, their championship-winning campaign.
Of course, the organization was also previously (2017) accused of misusing Apple Watches in a game against the New York Yankees. A member of the Red Sox staff was allegedly caught looking at his watch and relaying messages to his players, and the organization was ultimately fined an undisclosed sum for having undesirable paraphernalia in the dugout.
Well, we apparently know the source of Boston's illegal ventures. Former outfielder Chris Young told MLB writer Peter Gammons that it was his idea to exploit the watches, and that he discovered the method during his time with the Yankees.
More Gammons: "The Sox don't think they are going to get really hit [from the investigation], but you just don't know."
— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) February 4, 2020
"Chris Young told me, 'Kind of my idea, I started the whole Apple Watch thing. I got it from when I was with the Yankees.'"
Initial reports never confirmed that the Pinstripes were using Apple Watches to gain a competitive advantage. The club was fined, but for allegedly tinkering with a dugout phone. There were also some murmurs which claimed that the Yanks were illegally using YES cameras to steal signs, but that was also confirmed to not be the case in Rob Manfred's investigation.
Just to recap — Chris Young tells Gammons he got the Apple Watch sign-stealing idea from when he was with the Yankees, The Athletic story has “multiple sources” saying the Yankees used the video room to decode signs, but no investigation. No reason to look into them. None at all.
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) February 4, 2020
As of this writing, we aren't in the know as to whether Young's claims hold any value, but it appears that he's attempting to come public similar to the way that Mike Fiers did, which preceded that league's investigation into the Houston Astros.
Considering that the Red Sox were only fined for their illegal endeavors, this isn't huge news, but the Yanks could be forced to cough up some capital if Manfred looks into Young's assertions.
Chris Young left the New York Yankees in 2015.