Red Sox get caught stealing signs using Apple Watches

The Red Sox were caught using Apple Watches and other devices to steal signs from opponents, most notably the New York Yankees, the New York Times reported yesterday.

According to a league source, a Red Sox trainer wearing an Apple Watch allegedly forwarded the catcher’s signs to the current batter. The Red Sox admitted to the league that they had used video replay personnel to forward information to their players for at least the past few weeks.

The report stems from a claim filed by the Yankees to Major League Baseball, using video that shows a trainer with an Apple Watch relaying signs.

John Farrell, the manager of the Red Sox, said that he knew that his players were attempting to steal opponent’s signs but didn’t know that it involved illegal technology, namely Apple Watches.

Even with the new data that Boston collected, it doesn’t seem to be helping them. From the New York Times:

In the first game of the August series in question, the Red Sox prospered the first time they put a runner on second. It occurred in the second inning, and Rafael Devers promptly hit a home run, giving the Red Sox a 2-0 lead. The Red Sox went 5 for 8 in that game when they had a man on second.

With a runner on second, there’s no need for the technology to be used.

Marcus Stroman, after being hit in the arm with a batted ball in his start against the Baltimore Orioles, will throw a bullpen side session today. The Blue Jays will use his outing to decide whether he’ll make his next start, currently scheduled for Friday against the Detroit Tigers.

Stroman also played catch yesterday, which had no reported complications.

Last night, the Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins game drew the smallest-ever crowd at Tropicana Field, resting at 6,509 fans.

In the Rays 20 years at Tropicana Field, the attendance was an all-time low and the lowest since May 2nd, 2006, when the team drew just 7,147 in a 7-5 loss to the Texas Rangers.

Tropicana Field has seen smaller crowds for a major-league game — last week, 3,385 fans attended the Houston Astros’ displaced game against the Rangers — and yesterday's saw a similar justification: Hurricane Irma, one of the most violent storms ever to hit Central America, is projected to travel north to Florida within the next few days.

The Blue Jays lost their 14th game of the year via a walk-off in a 19-inning battle against the Boston Red Sox. The game, which ended with an unusually low score of 3-2, featured an electric start from Marco Estrada, who pitched seven shutout innings. Roberto Osuna blew his 10th save of the year in the ninth inning, allowing Boston to tie the game. The Red Sox eventually won on a single from Hanley Ramirez.

As if you haven’t seen enough of the Red Sox lately, the Blue Jays play them again today at 7:10 ET. Joe Biagini will get his first start since pitching seven shutout innings against the Orioles on September 1st, while Doug Fister is on the mound for Boston.

Follow Mark on Twitter @MarkColley.