Nearly a week after Sports Illustrated’s Stephanie Apstein reported on Houston Astros staffer Taubman’s offensive comments in the clubhouse and the team’s statement calling her reporting “completely irresponsible,” owner Jim Crane apologized and retracted the original statement on Friday night.
Crane reportedly met with Apstein in-person in Washington D.C., where Apsteinr requested the team to release a public retraction of its original statement. Finally, the retraction came on Saturday night.
The Astros fired Taubman on Thursday after their investigation revealed he directed his offensive comments towards several reporters and lied to the team. The good publicity didn’t last long for the team after general manager Jeff Luhnow made absurd comments in a press conference following the move.
Houston will now up, following its latest statement, that the issues will finally be behind it and the focus will shift back to the World Series.