Steve Garvey says Astros cheating vs. Dodgers, Yankees in World Series run was 'like taking steroids'

EXCLUSIVE: Steve Garvey knows what a Yankees-Dodgers World Series intends to America. 

He played successful nan past 3 betwixt nan 2 franchises, helping nan Dodgers triumph nan astir caller meeting successful 1981 and playing connected nan losing extremity to New York successful 1977 and '78. Before that, he was a shot boy for nan Brooklyn Dodgers and watched pinch wide eyes erstwhile Brooklyn hit nan Yankees for nan first clip ever to triumph nan title. 

And for illustration galore others successful baseball, Garvey knows really adjacent America was to witnessing a matchup betwixt nan 2 teams successful 2017. The Yankees fell 1 crippled shy, losing to nan Houston Astros successful Game 7 of nan ALCS. Then he watched his erstwhile squad suffer to Houston successful Game 7 of nan World Series. 

Two years later, Garvey was shocked by news Houston had cheated that year. The Astros were exposed for an elaborate forbidden sign-stealing operation, resulting successful sanctions by MLB and suspensions and eventual firings of head A.J. Hinch and wide head Jeff Luhnow. 

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"We were each saddened by it happening. There was grounds of it, and it sewage to nan constituent wherever location was ever a mobility erstwhile they went 7 games pinch nan Astros if it was happening then," Garvey told Fox News Digital successful an exclusive interview. "And nan fans haven't forgotten. So, erstwhile they spot Houston, it brings retired nan loudest successful them." 

Los Angeles Dodgers Steve Garvey, Steve Howe and Steve Yeager observe winning nan World Series against nan New York Yankees astatine nan extremity of Game 6 astatine Yankee Stadium. (Jayne Kamin/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

As a World Series champion, 10-time All-Star and one-time MVP, Garvey knows really difficult it is to hit. He believes nan Astros' usage of physics devices to decipher signs and relay them to players from nan dugout successful real-time was an undeniable advantage that played into nan Astros' hitting power that year. 

"If you tin springiness maine what nan transportation is, I'm astir apt going to summation my mean by 40-50 points astatine least. If you cognize what is coming, a interaction hitter for illustration me, and you cognize it's coming. A interaction hitter for illustration me, it's a important advantage," Garvey said. 

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Asked if he thought nan Astros would person been capable to conclusion nan Yankees and Dodgers successful nan playoffs that twelvemonth without cheating, nan erstwhile All-Star first baseman equated nan advantage to taking steroids. 

"I'm rather sure," Garvey responded erstwhile asked if he thought nan Astros could person won without cheating. "It's like, I equate it to, like, taking steroids. The group who took steroids and nan very important players that were accused of it and truthful distant were beautiful bully earlier that.

"And it's difficult to measurement what percent that they were better. But it's going to person immoderate worth pinch nan apical players who are capable to not only physically, but mentally capable deliberation nan crippled and find erstwhile fixed a flimsy advantage whether to move it into a important advantage." 

The statement whether nan Astros would person prevailed successful nan playoffs that twelvemonth has resurfaced aft Yankees wide head Brian Cashman dismissed nan conception that his squad had to hold 15 years successful betwixt its past World Series quality and this one. 

The Houston Astros' Jose Altuve reacts aft flying retired against nan Boston Red Sox during nan seventh inning successful Game 2 of baseball's American League Championship Series Oct. 16, 2021, successful Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Cashman cited nan truth that nan Yankees faced nan Astros astatine nan tallness of their cheating scandal. New York mislaid to nan Astros successful nan ALCS successful 2017 and past for a 2nd clip successful 3 years successful 2019, conscionable months earlier nan ungraded was revealed.

"I dislike nan 15-year point because it wholly forgets and discounts that immoderate different statement cheated america erstwhile we were each nan measurement successful nan end. If you knew what was going on, past I don't deliberation they would beryllium advancing during that time," Cashman said during an quality connected Chris Russo's "High Heat" connected MLB Network Tuesday. 

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"I deliberation we would person been advancing," Cashman said. "So, I dislike that 15-year point because I don't deliberation it accurately reflects history. But, regardless, we're proud to beryllium wherever we are now."

The eventual whistleblower for nan scandal, erstwhile pitcher Mike Fiers, exposed nan team's intricate sign-stealing cognition successful a November 2019 question and reply pinch The Athletic. It was past discovered done a convention investigation that Houston players and staffers utilized nan video replay room to decode opposing team's signs, past banged connected trash cans to present nan decoded signs to hitters astatine nan plate, alerting them what transportation was coming.

The Houston Astros' Jose Altuve, left, pats Carlos Correa (1) arsenic they observe Correa's location tally during nan 2nd inning against nan Oakland Athletics April 8, 2021, successful Houston.  (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Once nan cognition was made public, nan sanctions, suspensions and firings each commenced. Red Sox head Alex Cora, who spent 2017 connected nan Astros staff, was revealed to beryllium nan mastermind down nan operation, and he was moreover suspended and fired by Boston earlier being rehired successful 2021. 

Under Corra's leadership, nan Red Sox besides hit nan Yankees and Dodgers successful nan playoffs to triumph nan World Series successful 2018.

The Astros players, particularly prima infielder Jose Altuve, were branded cheaters by shot fans crossed nan country, particularly Yankees and Dodger fans. The squad has been relentlessly booed for nan ungraded ever since. However, Houston showed it could hit nan Yankees and triumph a title aft nan scandal, sweeping nan Yankees successful nan 2022 ALCS earlier beating nan Phillies successful nan World Series that year. 

Still, for galore of nan prima Houston players connected that 2017 team, including Altuve and shortstop Carlos Correa, they person ne'er travel adjacent to matching their statistical performances while cheating. 

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The Astros took a important measurement backmost successful 2024, getting swept successful nan wild-card information by nan Detroit Tigers and failing to scope nan ALCS for nan first clip since 2016. 

So, nan Yankees and Dodgers are yet successful position to renew their historical rivalry successful nan World Series. 

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