Red Sox sign-stealing culprit rejoins team in different department: report

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The Boston Red Sox reportedly rehired a replay operator who was suspended and canned after playing a role in the organization’s sign-stealing scandal during the 2018 season.

Major League Baseball investigated the Red Sox over allegations of using electronic equipment to steal signs during the season the team won the World Series. At the time, manager Alex Cora was already under fire for being implicated in the Houston Astros’ cheating scheme. Cora was fired, but MLB determined that it was J.T. Watkins who was able to decode opposing teams’ signs.

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Watkins was rehired by the team and will work with the organization’s pro scouting staff instead of being in the replay room, the Boston Globe reported Wednesday. Watkins reportedly denied that he was using the information to decode signs but received a one-season ban anyway.

Boston rehired Cora as its manager earlier in the month.

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Cora apologized for his role in the cheating scandal Wednesday, which initially cost him his job after the 2019 season.

“It’s been a tough year. To spend time with you guys, it was amazing this year. But like I’ve been saying all along, I was spending time at home for the wrong reasons. For that, I want to apologize. I deserved what happened this year. It’s something that, I’m not proud of it. But we went through the whole process with the Commissioner’s Office, the Department of Investigations. At the end, I got my penalty and I served it,” Cora said.

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The Red Sox finished 2020 in last place in the American League East.