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MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told reporters in a press conference Tuesday that the MLB Players Association refused to allow Houston Astros players to speak with the league regarding the 2017 World Series-winning team's sign-stealing schemes without blanket immunity, per Stephanie Apstein of Sports Illustrated.
Later Tuesday, the MLBPA issued an official response to that assertion:
According to the MLBPA, the league said "from the outset that it was not its intention to discipline players." The MLBPA also said that it later "sought and received confirmation" from MLB that the players would not be punished in accordance with MLB's investigation and also noted the following:
"Any suggestion that the Association failed to cooperate with the Commissioner's investigation, obstructed the investigation, or otherwise took positions which led to a stalemate in the investigation is completely untrue.