Jose Altuve, Justin Verlander and other Astros players apologize for cheating scandal

KABC logo
Friday, February 14, 2020
Houston Astros players apologize for cheating scandal
Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and several other star Houston Astros players apologized publicly for their role in the cheating scandal that rocked baseball and may have cost the Dodgers a World Series championship.

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (KABC) -- The Houston Astros faced the media Thursday and apologized publicly for their role in the cheating scandal that rocked baseball.

Owner Jim Crane and the players held a press conference at their facility, FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. It was the first time that they apologized for their role in the sign stealing scandal.

Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman were the only two players to deliver brief, prepared remarks at the podium.

They said a players' meeting was also held Wednesday night. Crane said it was the first time the group was all together as a team since the scandal broke, explaining that some of the players were emotional.

It was also the first time that new manager Dusty Baker had met a lot of the team. Baker said the players "displayed tremendous remorse."

Speaking first at the podium, Bregman apologized on behalf of the team, the organization and himself.

"I've learned from this and I hope to regain the trust of baseball fans. I would also like to thank the Astros fans for all of their support. We as a team are totally focused on moving forward to the 2020 season," Bregman said.

WATCH: "I hope to regain the trust of baseball fans" Alex Bregman on sign stealing scandal

"I'm really sorry about the choices that were made by my team, my organization and me," Alex Bregman said.

"The whole Astros organization and the team feel bad about what happened in 2017. We especially feel remorse for the impact on our fans and the game of baseball," Altuve said.

In 2017, Altuve was named the MVP. Bregman also had a breakout season.

WATCH: "We especially feel remorse for the impact on our fans" Jose Altuve apologizes for sign stealing scandal

This is what Houston's Jose Altuve had to say about the scandal and what to expect this season.

Crane, who has apologized before, emphasized again that this would not happen on his watch. He called the team a "great group of guys" and said this happened at a time when they did not receive proper guidance from their leaders.

In the fallout, Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch were both fired. No players were disciplined.

Later, teammate Carlos Correa talked about the scandal, saying "It was definitely wrong and we should have stopped it at the time."

WATCH: "The best way to erase the cheating scandal is to win another title" Carlos Correa on sign stealing

Astros' Carlos Correa speaks out for the first time about the World Series cheating scandal in 2017.

Crane said he doesn't feel it necessary to reach out to the Los Angeles Dodgers, whom the Astros beat for the championship in 2017.

Until Thursday, only former players had apologized including Dallas Keuchel, who's now with the Chicago White Sox, and Marwin Gonzalez, another fan favorite who is now on the Minnesota Twins. Max Stassi, who is now with the Los Angeles Angels, apologized as well.