Angels' Mike Trout on Astros' sign-stealing: 'I lost respect for some of those guys'

Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout disagreed with how MLB handled the Astros' sign-stealing scandal and expressed unhappiness with Houston players.

The league opted not to punish players involved in the scheme, which involved using a video camera, monitor and the banging of a trash can to tell teammates what pitches were being thrown.

"They cheated," Trout told The Athletic on Monday. "I don't agree with the punishment. I lost respect for some of those guys." 

Astros players Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve offered public apologies in short statements with team owner Jim Crane. 

Trout, the defending American League MVP, suggested how he would've benefited from a similar scheme. 

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"Going up to the plate knowing what's coming," he said, "that would be a lot of fun." 

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MLB commissioner Rob Manfred suspended coach A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow for one year for their role in the scandal. Houston then fired them both.

“Obviously the GM got fired and Hinch got fired,” Trout said. “But the players getting nothing, that’s definitely not right, for sure.”

The players involved were granted immunity as a way to get the information and avoid a potential grievance from the MLB Players Association if they had been punished.  

“It’s sad for baseball," Trout said. "It’s tough. They cheated. I don’t agree with the punishments, the players not getting anything. It was a player-driven thing. It sucks, too, because guys’ careers have been affected. A lot of people lost jobs. It was tough."

The Los Angeles Dodgers' Cody Bellinger, the 2019 National League MVP, also criticized the Astros by noting they "stole the ring" in 2017. He called Manfred's punishment -- or lack thereof -- "weak" in public comments. 

Manfred issued a warning to players that said any retaliation against Astros players “will not be tolerated."

Contributing: Steve Gardner