When former GM Jeff Luhnow sued Houston Astros claiming unfair scapegoating in cheating scandal

In November 2020, former Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow sued the team claiming unfair scapegoating in the sign-stealing scandal.

The Houston Astros cheating scandal took place in 2017. The scandal came to light in November 2019 when former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers, who was with the team that season, publicly revealed the Astros' sign-stealing practices in an interview with The Athletic. Fiers said that the team had used a camera positioned in the center field to capture the opposing catcher's signs and relay them to the dugout.

The scandal created a significant backlash in the baseball community and among fans. In Jan. 2020, the MLB conducted an investigation into the Astros' sign-stealing practices, resulting in severe penalties for the team and individuals involved. The league found that the Astros had violated rules prohibiting the use of electronic devices for stealing signs and engaging in unfair play.

As a consequence, the Astros were fined $5 million, which was the maximum allowed under MLB rules. Additionally, the team forfeited their first- and second-round draft picks in the 2020 and 2021 MLB drafts. General manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch, both implicated in the scandal, were suspended for one year and were subsequently fired by the Astros.

Almost a year later, Luhnow took legal action against the Astros in the Harris County District Court in Texas. He sought a payment of $22 million, which was the amount left in his contract when he was terminated by team owner Jim Crane in January. Here's what the lawsuit claimed:

"The Astros’ termination of Luhnow is an attempt — like the Commissioner before them — to make Luhnow the scapegoat for the organization while the players and video-room staff who devised and executed the schemes went unpunished,” the suit said.

“Even more egregiously, most of the culprits in the sign-stealing scheme remained employed by the club. The Astros concocted grounds to fire Luhnow ‘for Cause’ in order to save more than $22 million in guaranteed salary.”

Furthermore, Luhnow's lawsuit asserted that the mastermind behind the illicit scheme was none other than Tom Koch-Weser, the director of advance information for the Houston Astros.

As per Koch-Weser's LinkedIn profile, he held the position with the organization from Nov 2013 - May 2021.

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Former Houston Astros GM Jeff Luhnow's lawsuit fate

Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros

In Feb. 2021, the lawsuit filed by Jeff Luhnow, former general manager of the Houston Astros, was dismissed by Texas district court judge Kyle Carter with prejudice. The decision came after both parties reached a resolution and resolved their disagreements.

It's ironic that while Luhnow was kept away from baseball since his one-year suspension ended, Hinch, the former manager, was hired by the Detroit Tigers in October 2020.