Fans are understandably irate over the way the Houston Astros cheated their way to a World Series title in 2017, but that certainly is not an excuse to threaten the lives of players or wish ill upon their families. Unfortunately, Josh Reddick says he and the members of the team have experienced that since MLB’s investigation concluded.
Reddick spoke on Friday about the need for MLB to protect Astros players and their families this upcoming season. He revealed that both he and his wife have received death threats via social media, and he said one person wished cancer upon his children while others threatened his entire family.
Josh Reddick said both he and his wife have received death threats this entire month via social media.
“I’m not the only one,” he said, pointing toward his teammates in the clubhouse.”
Reddick implored the league to protect the Astros players and their families this season.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 21, 2020
Josh Reddick said that, earlier this month, he posted a video of one of his five-month-old twins rolling over. A comment immediately read “I hope your kid gets cancer.”
Others he’s gotten said “I will kill your entire family.”
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 21, 2020
Mike Fiers has been experiencing similar treatment, though for a different reason. The former Astros pitcher helped bring the sign-stealing allegations to light by discussing them in the bombshell story from The Athletic, and he said Thursday that he has also received numerous death threats.
For what it’s worth, Reddick claims he did not partake in the Astros’ trash can banging scheme. It doesn’t really matter if he did or didn’t, however. There’s a fine line between wanting Astros players to pay for what they did and threatening or wishing death upon them.
Unfortunately, fans making death threats against athletes is nothing new. MLB will likely take any threats against players seriously and inform the authorities about them.
