In a shocking revelation, former Houston Astros catcher Evan Gattis admitted to cheating in the 2017 season, even admitting he knew what pitch was coming when he hit his pinch-hit homer in Game Seven of the ALCS against the New York Yankees. Gattis, who retired after the 2018 season, made the confession in a podcast interview with The Athletic’s Ben Reiter.
Gattis said he and his teammates used a video feed from a center-field camera to decode the signs of the opposing pitchers and relay them to the hitters by banging on a trash can. He said he felt guilty and ashamed of his involvement in the scheme, which helped the Astros win their first World Series title in franchise history.
“I don’t think we should have done it,” Gattis said. “It was wrong. It was wrong for the game. It was wrong for the fans. It was wrong for the history of baseball. And I’m sorry for that.”
Gattis also revealed that he knew what pitch was coming when he hit a crucial home run off Yankees reliever David Robertson in the seventh inning of Game Seven of the ALCS. He said he heard two bangs from the dugout, indicating a curveball, and he swung accordingly.
“I don’t know if I would have hit it if I didn’t know it was coming,” Gattis said. “Maybe I would have, maybe I wouldn’t have. But I did know it was coming. And I hit it. And it felt great at the time. But now it feels tainted.”
Gattis is one of several former Astros players who have come forward to admit their role in the cheating scandal, which has tarnished the reputation of the team and led to suspensions and firings of several coaches and executives. He said he hopes his apology will help heal some of the wounds caused by his actions.
“I know I can’t take back what I did,” Gattis said. “But I can try to make amends. I can try to be honest. I can try to be a better person and a better ambassador for the game. I love baseball. And I’m sorry for what I did to it.”
