The 2017 Houston Astros had one of the best lineups in baseball history, supported by a strong pitching staff en route to the World Series title. At first, the title was regarded as the “right” way to do it, as many of the Astros players were homegrown out of their minor league system. However, good feelings about Houston's championship quickly faded when it was revealed that the club was stealing signs during their home games. One of the team's primary stars and former American League MVP Jose Altuve, who is perhaps the face of the team, was slandered for his perceived role in the sign-stealing scandal. However, Altuve has maintained his innocence throughout, with some teammates even claiming that he didn't want signs relayed to him. Former Astros outfielder and current Mexican League star Josh Reddick had a strong message about Altuve's involvement in the scandal.

Reddick said that both he and Altuve can “be added to the list” of those players who didn't participate in the Astros' sign-stealing scandal. If that's true, it paints the star second baseman in a much better light regarding his legacy.

The numbers certainly support Reddick's statement, as Altuve actually had a higher batting average on the road than at home in 2017. Wouldn't the numbers be skewed in the opposite direction if the Astros star was actually cheating?

Perhaps the baseball world will never know the truth about Altuve's level of involvement. However, the fact that multiple teammates of his are still coming out and defending him speaks volumes.