Boston baseball fans are no strangers to late-August/mid-September meltdowns, though the Red Sox clubhouse has quieted down since 2011’s memorable beer and fried chicken fiasco. Sources reported Tuesday evening that the Boston Red Sox have been using Apple Watches to steal opposing teams’ hand signals during games, most notably against New York Yankees.

Roughly two weeks ago, the Yankees general manager Brian Cashman filed a “detailed complaint” with the commissioner of baseball’s office that included video footage the Yankees recorded of the Red Sox dugout during the series between the teams in Boston last month.

This isn’t the first time the Yankees have been suspicious of the Red Sox stealing signs

In the video clips provided to the commissioner’s office by the Yankees, Red Sox assistant athletic trainer Jon Jochim can be seen looking at his watch. He then proceeds to relay information to outfielder Brock Holt and second baseman Dustin Pedroia. Pedroia, who was injured at the time, but still in uniform, then passed the information on to outfielder Chris Young.

Investigators have interviewed Red Sox trainers and Young. The outfielder played with the Yankees’ minor league team before signing a one-year major league contract with the Yankees in 2014. In 2015, he signed a two-year deal with Boston.

Stealing signs is not against the rules of baseball if teams do not go beyond just using their eyes.

The use of binoculars and electronic devices are prohibited when it comes to communication about catchers’ signs. Typically, signs would be run to the dugout by foot so the information could be passed on to the runner on second base.

There is nothing in the official rulebook of the MLB against sign-stealing, though most consider it a big “no” regarding sportsmanship.

Using electronic devices quickens that relay.

The Red Sox have admitted to league investigators that replay video of pitch signs was being sent to trainers. Boston coach John Farrell, president Dave Dombrowski, and other members of the Red Sox front office were not aware of the sign-stealing.

Rob Manfred, the league’s commissioner, addressed media at Fenway Park Tuesday evening saying: “We actually do not have a rule against sign-stealing.

It has been part of the game for a very, very long time … It’s the electronic equipment that creates the violation.”

When the Phillies won the National League East championship for the fifth year in a row and finished the season with the best record in baseball for the second straight year in 2011, they were faced with sign-stealing allegations. The commissioner’s office received complaints from several teams about Philadelphia using binoculars to steal signs.

In this case, as many others, Major League Baseball never sent down any disciplinary action.
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