The Los Angeles Dodgers nearly won the World Series in 2017 and 2018, but the MLB franchise lost to the Houston Astros and the Boston Red Sox, respectively. Both of these teams are at the heart of an electronic sign-stealing scandal, and now the Los Angeles City Council has asked for commissioner Rob Manfred to change the record books.
According to Yahoo Sports, the L.A. City Council voted unanimously on a resolution Tuesday, asking Manfred to declare the Dodgers the champions of both World Series. They want the Commissioners’ Trophies to reside in the City of Angels.
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“We know they were cheated at a real shot at a championship,” councilman Paul Koretz told the L.A. Times on Tuesday. “We have to send a message. If we don’t stand up for baseball, then the tradition of the national pastime may become flawed.”
The Astros have been found guilty in the sign-stealing investigation, resulting in year-long suspensions for manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow. Both men were later fired by the franchise. Similarly, the Red Sox dismissed manager Alex Cora due to his role in the scandal. He was with the Astros during the 2017 season.
Koretz also told the L.A. Times that this isn’t a move made for publicity reasons. This is simply being done out of outrage over how L.A.’s team was cheated by the Astros and Red Sox.
The Dodgers were defeated by the Astros in seven games during the 2017 World Series. They lost to the Red Sox in five games during the 2018 World Series. Boston’s franchise has not been punished as part of the investigation into alleged electronic sign-stealing.
The Athletic‘s Peter Gammons also reported last Friday that it may be a while before the Red Sox know the extent of their punishment due to the league focusing on the Astros.
While the L.A. City Council may want the titles to be vacated and later awarded to the Dodgers, they won’t have any final say in the matter. The council does not have jurisdiction over who is or isn’t declared the winner of the respective World Series. Only Major League Baseball and Manfred can decide to strip a team of its title.
A decision to award the Dodgers the World Series Titles for 2017 and 2018 may happen, but that has not yet been determined. Although the L.A. City Council would prefer for the Commissioners’ Trophies to be relocated in the very near future.
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