In a new development that has rocked the MLB, former Houston Astros coach Dusty Baker has strongly defended José Altuve – the team’s star player – in the never-ending saga of the 2017 insignia theft scandal.
In an interview on the All the Smoke podcast, Baker emphatically stated that Altuve was “the most innocent person on that team,” and said he was the player who suffered the most criticism and hurt after the incident came to light.
“The guy that took the brunt of it was really Jose Altuve and he was the most innocent dude there,” Baker said, emphasizing that the way Altuve was treated after the scandal was “unacceptable.”
The Houston Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal became one of the most controversial scandals in modern baseball history. MLB concluded the team had used illegal camera and signal systems to steal opponent signals, contributing to their World Series victory.
Despite the organization receiving heavy penalties, including fines and loss of draft pick rights, the most divisive aspect remains the continued booing of many players – including Altuve – by opposing fans whenever they take to the court, despite statistical evidence suggesting his involvement was minimal.
Even years later, every time Altuve steps into the batter’s box, whistles, boos, and mocking banners still appear in many stadiums across the United States.
Dusty Baker: “I don’t care about the scandal, I just see someone hurt.”
Baker, who took over as head coach of the Astros in 2020 after A.J. Hinch was fired, said that when he arrived in Houston, what he saw wasn’t a team cheating, but a group of players trying to survive a storm of global criticism.
“I don’t care about the scandal. I wasn’t there. But I care about how people are treated,” Baker shared.
He said Altuve has become a “blame symbol” for the whole affair, despite many later analyses showing his involvement in the sign-stealing system was very low.
According to Baker, the most important thing isn’t the past, but how sports society still hasn’t forgiven.
While Houston fans see Altuve as a symbol of resilience – a small but great player who won MVP and led his team to glory – outside of Texas, his image is overshadowed by the 2017 scandal.
This contradiction has made Altuve one of the most divisive figures in modern MLB: both a local legend and a booed player on the road.
Nevertheless, in the Astros’ locker room, Altuve is still considered the heart of the team – leading a new generation and bridging the gap between the past and the present.
In the interview, Dusty Baker not only talks about Altuve, but also expands the story to how baseball operates: where pressure, mistakes, and fame can last longer than a career.
He argued that “nailing” a player down for a collective mistake was unfair, especially since MLB had previously admitted difficulty in determining the extent of individual responsibility in this complex incident.
“In baseball, people want someone to blame. But that’s not always the right thing to do,” Baker said.
Even nearly a decade later, the incident continues to haunt MLB. Debates about the validity of the 2017 championship, forgiveness, and individual responsibility continue to erupt each season.
The Astros have had periods of success since, including appearances in the World Series and a 2022 championship, but the team’s image remains shrouded in question.
For Baker, who led the Astros back to the top after the crisis, the story is simpler: “I saw a team pay the price. And I saw a player being misunderstood.”
Although MLB closed its investigation long ago, the debate surrounding Altuve and the Astros seems far from over. Each new season reopens a layer of old memories, each boo brings the past back to the present field.
But in Dusty Baker’s eyes, the story is much clearer.
José Altuve is not the villain of this history.
He is simply caught in a storm he himself didn’t create.
And perhaps, in a sport that demands slow forgiveness like baseball, the biggest question remains:
Is MLB truly ready to forget the past – or will Altuve be forever trapped within it?
