Dustin Pedroia Says Sign Stealing Is 'Part of the Game'

Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia sees sign stealing as part of baseball and stressed the onus is on the opposition to change things up.

"It's part of the game," Pedroia said Wednesday, per Scott Lauber of ESPN.com. "Our adjustment to that stuff is: Go out to the mound and change the signs."

"It's been around a long, long time," he continued. "We were doing that at Douglass Junior High School [in Woodland, California], where I played. So, I don't think this should be news to everybody."

Pedroia's comments come after Michael S. Schmidt of the New York Times reported the Red Sox used an Apple Watch to steal hand signals from the New York Yankees and other opponents.

Schmidt also reported Boston responded by filing its own complaint alleging the Yankees stole signs with a camera from the team's YES television network.

What's more, Evan Drellich of CSN New England reported the Bronx Bombers filed a complaint to MLB saying they thought Boston pitcher Doug Fister was using an earpiece or audio device. However, it was just a mouthguard Fister placed around his ear.

Lauber noted MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said there is an investigation into the Apple Watch claims from New York, although Pedroia said he hasn't yet been interviewed. According to Lauber, Pedroia was seen in a video talking to assistant athletic trainer Jon Jochim, who is thought to have received texts on his watch regarding New York's signs.

Pedroia revealed what he would tell MLB if he was asked about the encounter: "I was talking to the trainer about what time I'm rehabbing the next day, because I was on the DL."

MLB could technically remove Boston's victories against its archrival, but Lauber said there "isn't any precedent" for such a drastic punishment and cited sources saying a fine or loss of draft picks is more likely.

Boston and New York do not play each other again during the regular season.