Add the best player in Major League Baseball to the list of those wagging their finger at the Houston Astros.
Angels center fielder and N.J. native Mike Trout said he “lost respect” for the players involved in the sign-stealing scandal that has been the talk of the sport throughout the offseason.
“They cheated. I don’t agree with the punishment,” Trout told reporters on Monday, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. “I lost respect for some of those guys.”
Can you imagine Trout -- a seven-time Silver Slugger averaging 39 home runs and a league-leading 1.081 OPS over the last three seasons -- going up for an at-bat knowing what pitches are coming?
“That would be a lot of fun,” Trout said.
Trout commented on the other alleged Astros scandal making the rounds this week in which second baseman Jose Altuve is accused of wearing a buzzer under his jersey when he hit an ALCS-clinching home run off Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman last year.
The evidence supporting the theory is Altuve’s refusal to let teammates rip off his jersey as he was mobbed at home plate, then rushing to the locker room to change out of his uniform and into ALCS champion gear before a postgame interview with FOX’s Ken Rosenthal.
If he were in Altuve’s shoes, Trout follows a similar philosophy to Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez, who said last week his teammates could “rip his pants off” if he hit a walk-off home run to send his team to the World Series.
“You can take my shirt off,” Trout said. “If you hit a homer to send your team to the World Series at home, you can do whatever you want to me.”
Trout also addressed allegations of him using HGH, a conspiracy brought up by David Brosius, a son of former Yankees third baseman Scott Brosius, and quickly shot down by the MLBPA last month.
“I didn’t worry about it,” Trout said. “because it’s not true.”
Brian Fonseca may be reached at bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @briannnnf. Find NJ.com on Facebook.