Keuchel is 1st player to apologize for illegal sign-stealing

A member of the 2017 Houston Astros has expressed remorse over the team's illegal sign-stealing.

Chicago White Sox pitcher Dallas Keuchel apologized Friday while speaking with the media and added it was "not like every game we had it going on," according to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.

"It's just what the state of baseball was at that point in time," the left-hander said, according to Madeline Kenney of the Chicago Sun-Times. "Was it against the rules? Yes, it was. And I personally am sorry for what's come about the whole situation."

Keuchel spent 2012 through 2018 with the Astros, memorably winning the American League Cy Young in 2015 after authoring a 20-8 record and 2.48 ERA over 232 innings.

The White Sox landed Keuchel on a three-year, $55.5-million contract this winter. Coincidentally, one of the first videos to surface implicating the Astros in the illegal sign-stealing involved a game against the White Sox:

Major League Baseball published its nine-page report Jan. 13, detailing the way the Astros stole signs during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Manager AJ Hinch and GM Jeff Luhnow were both banned for one year and subsequently fired, and the Astros were fined $5 million and forced to forfeit their first- and second-round picks in the next two drafts.

Former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers was one of the only players mentioned in the report for his role in publicly speaking out about the team's actions. MLB launched its investigation shortly thereafter.

"A lot of guys are not happy with the fact that Mike came out and said something or the fact that this even happened," Keuchel told reporters. "But, at the same time, there is some sorrow in guys' voices."