Mike Trout is not known as one of baseball’s more outspoken or controversial players, so it’s quite telling to hear him talk about the Houston Astros with such candor.
On Monday, Trout spoke about his thoughts on the Astros, saying he “lost respect” for their players and felt the punishments levied against the organization were not harsh enough.
Mike Trout on the Astros: “They cheated…I don’t agree with the punishment…I lost respect for some of those guys.”
“Going up to the plate knowing what’s coming…that would be a lot of fun.”
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) February 17, 2020
The Los Angeles Angels outfielder also joined the chorus of players who questioned Jose Altuve for not wanting his uniform ripped off after hitting a walk-off home run to clinch the 2019 ALCS, which has been at the heart of suspicion about the Astros using buzzers.
Mike Trout: “You can take my shirt off…if you hit a homer to send your team to the World Series at home, you can do whatever you want to me.”
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) February 17, 2020
Trout is the best player in the game and not really one to rock the boat. While he isn’t saying anything that hasn’t been said by others, for him to put the Astros scandal in these terms is quite stark, and illustrates the level of outrage among players right now. That outrage is now being directed toward commissioner Rob Manfred for what is quickly becoming viewed as a failure to administer suitable punishment to the players who were largely responsible for the scheme.
The Houston Astros are confirmed cheaters and deserve an asterisk. Send that message by wearing our Houston Asterisks T-shirt! You can buy it here:
