Updated Jan 13, 2020 - Sports

Houston Astros fire manager, GM after suspension for sign-stealing

Photo: Cooper Neill/MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Houston Astros have fired general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch after an MLB investigation revealed that the team used technology to illegally steal signs during its 2017 World Series run, AP reports.

Why it matters: The MLB had issued one-year suspensions for Luhnow and Hinch, one of the harshest punishments the league has ever handed down. In addition to the suspensions, the team will also lose its first- and second-round picks in the 2020 and 2021 drafts and be hit with a $5 million fine, per The Athletic.

The big picture: The Athletic reported in November that the Astros stole opposing teams' signs during 2017 home games by using a camera in center field, a scheme led by bench coach Alex Cora.

  • An anonymous source told The Athletic that the Boston Red Sox, who have since hired Cora as their manager, also stole signs during their 2018 World Series championship season.

Go deeper: MLB sign-stealing scandal broadens with 2018 Red Sox accusations

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Ursula Perano
46 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Fauci says White House effort to discredit him is "bizarre"

Photo: Joshua Roberts/Getty Images

Anthony Fauci told The Atlantic on Wednesday that efforts by certain White House officials to discredit him are "bizarre" and that it "ultimately hurts the president" to undermine a top health official in the middle of a pandemic.

Driving the news: Fauci's comments come on the heels of a USA Today op-ed by White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, who claimed that Fauci has been "wrong about everything" related to the coronavirus that the two have interacted on. Fauci told The Atlantic: “I can’t explain Peter Navarro. He’s in a world by himself.”

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Fadel Allassan
3 hours ago - Health

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt tests positive for coronavirus

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) announced on Wednesday he has tested positive for the coronavirus and will self-isolate, Tulsa World reports.

Why it matters: The 47-year-old Stitt is believed to be the first governor in the U.S. to test positive. He attended President Trump's rally in Tulsa last month, which the county's health department director said likely contributed to a surge in cases in the region.

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Axios
Updated 4 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 2:30 p.m. ET: 13,397,167 — Total deaths: 580,388 — Total recoveries — 7,449,477 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 2:30 p.m. ET: 3,459,053 — Total deaths: 136,900 — Total recoveries: 1,049,098 — Total tested: 41,764,557 — Map.
  3. States: Alabama's GOP governor issues statewide mask mandate — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt tests positive.
  4. Politics: Fauci says White House effort to discredit him is "bizarre" — Trump says Navarro shouldn't have written op-ed attacking Fauci.
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