After a thorough investigation, MLB has made its ruling on the Red Sox' illegal sign-stealing during the 2018 season. And the blame wasn't put on the players or manager like it was in the case of the 2017 Houston Astros.

Instead, it was aimed at J.T. Wakins, the Red Sox' video replay system operator. Here's what commissioner Rob Manfred's report said:

"I find that J.T. Watkins, the Red Sox video replay system operator, on at least some occasions during the 2018 regular season, utilized the game feeds in the replay room, in violation of MLB regulations, to revise sign sequence information that he had permissibly provided to players prior to the game," the official report stated.

So there was no communication from the dugout to the batters at the plate like in the Houston situation. Watkins, instead, gave his analysis on the opposing team to the players either prior to the game or "when the Red Sox had a runner on second base." That only happened on "a small percentage of occasions."

Because the investigation found that then-manager Alex Cora -- who was fired anyway this offseason -- and the players couldn't have been aware of Watkins' findings, the punishments weren't as severe.

Here is the discipline:

Watkins is suspended without pay for all of the 2020 season, and can't video operate in the 2021 season.
Forfeiting a 2020 second-round pick in the First-Year Player Draft
Cora's ban is through the 2020 season, but only due to his role in the Astros' case

No other Red Sox personnel has been disciplined.

The investigation also did not find any evidence that the Red Sox were using sign-stealing during the 2018 postseason, in which they defeated the Yankees in four games to move on to the ALCS. They would eventually defeat the Dodgers in the World Series.

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