When Alex Cora vehemently refuted claims labeling him solely responsible for sign-stealing scandal

In 2020, former Houston Astros bench coach Alex Cora voiced his displeasure at being pinned as the mastermind behind the sign-stealing scandal.

Cora worked as the bench coach for the Houston Astros when they won the 2017 World Series, but his career was tainted when bombshell revelations in 2020 were made about the sign-stealing scandal. He was suspended for the entire 2020 season for his role in the scandal.

Although Cora accepted his punishment, he was upset with accusations that he and Carlos Beltran were the driving forces behind the scandal.

"I have read many things that are true and many others that are not," Cora told ESPN in 2020. "Out of this whole process, if there is one thing that I completely reject and disagree with is people within the Astros organization singling me out, particularly (fired and suspended general manager) Jeff Luhnow, as if I were the sole mastermind.

"The commissioner's report sort of explained, in its own way, what happened. But the (Astros players) have spoken up and refuted any allegations that I was solely responsible."

Alex Cora cut ties with the Red Sox after an MLB investigation

Alex Cora took up the position of Boston Red Sox manager in October 2017 after leaving the Astros. However, he later cut ties with the Red Sox shortly after the findings of the MLB investigation into the sign-stealing scandal.

Boston Red Sox v Detroit Tigers

After his ban, Alex Cora admitted that the team made a mistake by partaking in such actions.

"I am not proud of what happened. We made a mistake as a group, the entire [Astros] team. What happened was something that, if you ask anyone involved, no one is proud of it. We're all at fault. Everybody. We're all responsible. Everyone who was part of the team from around mid-May until the end of the season, we are all responsible."

Alex Cora made his major league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 7, 1998, against the Seattle Mariners. He played 14 seasons in the majors. Cora last appeared in an MLB game for the Washington Nationals in September 2011.