George Springer Faces Epic Boo-Fest At Dodger Stadium Over 2017 Astros Scandal

LA Fans Unleash Fury on Springer at Dodger Stadium

Man, if you thought the Hollywood drama was intense, you should’ve been at Dodger Stadium on October 27 for Game 3 of the World Series. George Springer, now rocking a Toronto Blue Jays jersey but forever tied to the 2017 Houston Astros, stepped up to the plate and got hit with a tsunami of boos from 54,000 blue-clad fans. This wasn’t just a casual jeer - it was a full-on LA-style roast, rooted in the bitter memory of the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal that many believe robbed the Dodgers of a World Series title.

The vibe in Chavez Ravine (that’s the iconic neighborhood surrounding the stadium, for our out-of-town readers) was electric with rage. As soon as Springer’s name was announced, the crowd let loose, their boos drowning out even the wailing guitar riffs of Led Zeppelin’s 'Dazed and Confused,' the intro song for Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow. For a solid 25 seconds, it was pure chaos until Springer swung and missed at a 97-mph fastball, turning the jeers into a roaring chant of 'Cheater! Cheater!'

By the time Glasnow struck him out, the stadium erupted in cheers louder than a summer night on the Santa Monica Pier. It wasn’t just a strikeout - it was a moment of catharsis for Dodger fans who’ve been stewing over that 2017 loss for nearly a decade. And trust, in a city that lives for its sports as much as its red carpet moments, this was personal.

The Ghost of 2017: Why LA Can’t Let Go

Let’s rewind to 2017, when the Houston Astros clinched the World Series in seven games against the Dodgers, a victory later tainted by revelations of an elaborate sign-stealing scheme. Uncovered by The Athletic in 2019, the scandal exposed how the Astros used a hidden camera in center field and a trash can banging system near their dugout to tip off batters about incoming pitches. Game 4 of that series, a wild 13-12 Astros win in 10 innings, still stings the most for LA fans who feel their trophy was straight-up stolen.

While the fallout saw manager A.J. Hinch and GM Jeff Luhnow get the boot, the players - including Springer, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Carlos Correa - faced no real punishment beyond a half-hearted apology tour in 2020. The Astros kept their championship, and that’s the kind of unrequited justice that keeps SoCal blood boiling. Every time one of these guys steps into Dodger Stadium, it’s like reopening a wound that never got a chance to heal.

'Dodger fans don’t forget, and that’s what makes this city’s passion for baseball so real. They’re still out here fighting for justice, one boo at a time,' said a longtime season ticket holder, echoing the sentiment of the crowd.

Springer’s LA History: Boos Follow Him Everywhere

Springer’s no stranger to getting grilled in LA. He’s played at Dodger Stadium before - with the Blue Jays in August and July 2023, and even as an Astro during the fan-less COVID days of September 2020 and a neutral-site playoff a month later. But nothing compares to facing a full house of 54,000 during the World Series, where every boo felt like a personal vendetta straight out of a Malibu-style drama.

Even Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, usually all about keeping things chill, didn’t try to hush the crowd. 'That’s up to the fans,' he shrugged, tipping his cap to their long memory while noting Springer’s still a heck of a player having a killer postseason. Roberts is just focused on managing the game, leaving the stands to do their thing - and boy, did they ever.

After a Game 2 loss in Toronto on October 25, Springer tried to brush off the LA heat, saying, 'I’m here now,' in the plush Blue Jays clubhouse, as if eight years could erase the past. But for Dodger fans, as long as that Commissioner’s Trophy sits in Houston, time doesn’t heal all wounds. This is LA - we hold grudges as tight as we hold onto our In-N-Out burgers, and Springer’s gonna hear about 2017 every time he rolls through town.