Controversy Surrounds Sign Stealing in MLB Postseason
Sign stealing and pitch tipping have become major talking points as the 2025 MLB postseason heats up.
However, a recent incident involving a Mariners player has drawn significant attention. On Wednesday afternoon, during Game 4 of the American League Division Series (ALDS), Josh Naylor’s signaling from second base seemed a bit too overt, according to two former MLB players calling the game.
In the fourth inning of the Tigers’ 9-3 victory over the Mariners, Naylor was positioned at second base while Detroit’s Tyler Holton pitched.
As Mitch Garver stepped up to bat, Naylor repeatedly adjusted Holton’s arm position in what appeared to be an attempt to communicate pitches or to convince the Tigers that he had insight into the upcoming pitch.
Play-by-play announcer Adam Amin urged viewers to pay attention to Naylor’s arm movements, signaling that something unusual was happening.
Former Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright expressed his disbelief on air, calling Naylor’s actions “blatant.” He suggested that the Tigers should take different measures to counter the Mariners’ strategy.
“What the hell? I’ve never seen anything so obvious in my life,” Wainwright noted, implying that the signs being given might be a ruse.
AJ Pierzynski, a former MLB catcher and analyst, remarked that while stealing signs from second base isn’t against the rules, teams typically kept such tactics under wraps during his playing career. “Some say they’re putting on a show, but why bother? I just haven’t seen anything like that before,” he added.
Wainwright further stated, “I don’t know, I really don’t like it.”
While Pierzynski and Amin clarified the legality of the sign-stealing approach Naylor used, Pierzynski admitted that when he played, teams would try to obscure their signals if they had a plan against the opposition.
Trevor Plouffe, another ex-MLB player, chimed in with his take. He expressed enthusiasm for the discussion surrounding Naylor’s blatant signaling, but pointed out that in earlier days, players were expected to keep such acts discreet. “We could get away with it back then, but the goal was to stay under the radar,” Plouffe emphasized.
Despite Naylor’s efforts, he managed to score a run during that inning, but ultimately, the Mariners fell to the Tigers, setting up a decisive Game 5 in Seattle.
With modern technology, pitch tipping and sign decoding are now more visible than ever. In a September matchup between the Yankees and Blue Jays, for example, the Yankees seemed to decipher Max Scherzer’s pitches, leading to a critical three-run homer by Ben Rice.
After that game, Blue Jays manager John Schneider remarked on the Yankees’ skill in picking up on signs from their opponents. “They were good at relaying pitches. MLB knows when the Yankees have something; they’re pretty adept,” Schneider stated. “I might be the only one willing to say it out loud, but we need to tighten up our signals.”
MLB commentators stunned by Mariners for obvious sign-stealing methods
Controversy Surrounds Sign Stealing in MLB Postseason
Sign stealing and pitch tipping have become major talking points as the 2025 MLB postseason heats up.
However, a recent incident involving a Mariners player has drawn significant attention. On Wednesday afternoon, during Game 4 of the American League Division Series (ALDS), Josh Naylor’s signaling from second base seemed a bit too overt, according to two former MLB players calling the game.
In the fourth inning of the Tigers’ 9-3 victory over the Mariners, Naylor was positioned at second base while Detroit’s Tyler Holton pitched.
As Mitch Garver stepped up to bat, Naylor repeatedly adjusted Holton’s arm position in what appeared to be an attempt to communicate pitches or to convince the Tigers that he had insight into the upcoming pitch.
Play-by-play announcer Adam Amin urged viewers to pay attention to Naylor’s arm movements, signaling that something unusual was happening.
Former Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright expressed his disbelief on air, calling Naylor’s actions “blatant.” He suggested that the Tigers should take different measures to counter the Mariners’ strategy.
“What the hell? I’ve never seen anything so obvious in my life,” Wainwright noted, implying that the signs being given might be a ruse.
AJ Pierzynski, a former MLB catcher and analyst, remarked that while stealing signs from second base isn’t against the rules, teams typically kept such tactics under wraps during his playing career. “Some say they’re putting on a show, but why bother? I just haven’t seen anything like that before,” he added.
Wainwright further stated, “I don’t know, I really don’t like it.”
While Pierzynski and Amin clarified the legality of the sign-stealing approach Naylor used, Pierzynski admitted that when he played, teams would try to obscure their signals if they had a plan against the opposition.
Trevor Plouffe, another ex-MLB player, chimed in with his take. He expressed enthusiasm for the discussion surrounding Naylor’s blatant signaling, but pointed out that in earlier days, players were expected to keep such acts discreet. “We could get away with it back then, but the goal was to stay under the radar,” Plouffe emphasized.
Despite Naylor’s efforts, he managed to score a run during that inning, but ultimately, the Mariners fell to the Tigers, setting up a decisive Game 5 in Seattle.
With modern technology, pitch tipping and sign decoding are now more visible than ever. In a September matchup between the Yankees and Blue Jays, for example, the Yankees seemed to decipher Max Scherzer’s pitches, leading to a critical three-run homer by Ben Rice.
After that game, Blue Jays manager John Schneider remarked on the Yankees’ skill in picking up on signs from their opponents. “They were good at relaying pitches. MLB knows when the Yankees have something; they’re pretty adept,” Schneider stated. “I might be the only one willing to say it out loud, but we need to tighten up our signals.”
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