The Astros avoided jeers from the opposing fans due to the COVID-19 crisis during the 2020 season, but the pandemic did not allow fans to forget about its sign-stealing scandal.
Fans at Angel Stadium in Anaheim tossed a pair of objects onto the field on Monday night as the Angels defeated the Astros 7-6. An inflatable garbage can was thrown over the right-field scoreboard after the sixth inning. An actual garbage can was tossed onto the warning track shortly therafter. Play was stopped both times as the grounds crew removed the items.
Monday’s incident continues the consistent animosity from opposing fans toward the Astros. Houston received significant boos over the weekend in its opening series against the A’s, though the Astros still jumped out to a 4–0 start to the season.
Houston manager Dusty Baker defended his team postgame on Monday night.
“You can tell the amount of hostility and the amount of hatred in the stands,” Baker said. “How many in the stands have never done anything wrong in their life? We paid the price for it. How many people have not cheated on a test or whatever at some point in time?”
“I mean it’s easy if you live in glass houses, but I don’t think anybody lives in glass houses.”
Major League Baseball released its report on Houston’s sign-stealing scandal in January 2020. Astros manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were fired for their role in the scandal, and the franchise was additionally docked first-round and second-round picks in 2020 and 2021. MLB also fined the Astros $5 million, the maximum penalty allowed under the collective bargaining agreement.
Houston enters 2021 following four straight playoff appearances. The Astros reached the World Series in 2017 and 2019 before losing in Game 7 of the 2020 ALCS.
