Charlie Morton Says It Would've Taken 'Extreme' Actions to Stop Astros' Cheating

Former Houston Astros starting pitcher Charlie Morton expressed regret Saturday over the 2017 sign-stealing scandal that resulted in the suspension and firing of Astros manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow.

According to Josh Tolentino of The Athletic, Morton said: "Personally, I regret not doing more to stop it. I don't know what that would have entailed. I think the actions would have been somewhat extreme to stop it."

The Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games in the 2017 World Series to win the first championship in franchise history.

Morton was a member of the Astros from 2017-18 before he signed with the Tampa Bay Rays ahead of the 2019 campaign.

Like Hinch during an interview with MLB Network on Friday, Morton admitted to reporters that he was aware of the trash can banging system Astros players used to steal signs in 2017: "I was aware of the banging. You could hear the banging. Being in the dugout, you could hear it. I don't know when it dawned on me, but you knew it was going on."

Morton also said the "perception of that World Series was negatively affected" and added: "I certainly have thought about it a lot because it negatively impacted the game and people's perception of the game, the fans, opposing players. And that doesn't sit well with me. ... Where I was at the time, I don't know where I was, because what's wrong is wrong. And I'll never be absolved of that."

Former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers revealed the sign-stealing system in an interview with The Athletic. Since punishments were handed down to Hinch and Luhnow, Morton and Chicago White Sox pitcher Dallas Keuchel have been the only current or former Astros to apologize publicly.

During Friday's interview, Hinch said he took a bat to a monitor that was used as part of the sign-stealing system to show his dismay but that he regretted never calling a meeting to try to put an end to the scandal.

Morton may have benefited from the sign-stealing system in 2017 if he received more run support. He broke through with a career-high 14 wins that season to go along with a 3.62 ERA and 163 strikeouts in 146.2 innings.

He was named an All-Star for the first time the following season and was selected to the All-Star Game again last season, when he finished third in the American League Cy Young Award voting with a 16-6 record, 3.05 ERA and career-high 240 strikeouts.

After winning the World Series in 2017, the Astros lost to the Boston Red Sox in the 2018 American League Championship Series and then fell in seven games to the Washington Nationals in last season's World Series.

With Hinch and Luhnow out, the Astros hired Dusty Baker and James Click as their new manager and GM ahead of spring training.