On Monday, Major League Baseball released commissioner Rob Manfred's report on the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal. The Astros, who were fined $5 million and stripped of four draft picks, fired general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch after the pair received season-long bans. The Boston Red Sox, and specifically manager Alex Cora (identified by Manfred as one of the ringleaders in Houston) figure to be next on the docket to receive punishment.
One team likely paying close attention to all this? The Los Angeles Dodgers, who lost the 2017 World Series to the Astros and then the 2018 edition to the Red Sox. Be that as it may, don't expect the Dodgers to make a big fuss about it -- at least not in an official capacity.
All clubs have been asked by Major League Baseball not to comment on today's punishment of the Houston Astros as it's inappropriate to comment on disciplined imposed on another club. The Dodgers have also been asked not to comment on any wrongdoing during the 2017 World Series and will have no further comment at this time.
Those who want the Dodgers to react with righteous (and justified) annoyance should refer to reigning National League MVP Cody Bellinger's recent comments. "It sucks, man. We were close, but we did it the right way," Bellinger told ESPN shortly before the Astros sanctions were announced. "We could've won it if things could've gone our way. But it is what it is, man. You really can't look back on it anymore."
On Tuesday, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported on why other teams are angry in response to the Astros' penalties. One source familiar with Manfred's instructions to other teams told Passan that "The impression was that the penalty for complaining would be more than Houston got."
In that case, expect the Dodgers to remain mum.
