Insider reveals interesting detail regarding Jose Altuve and Astros' cheating scandal

The Houston Astros are the 2022 World Series Champions, but the stigma from 2017's cheating scandal still lingers around the franchise and the players who remain, including Jose Altuve. 

However, in Peter Gammons' latest for The Athletic, he reveals a new wrinkle to the story that won't die. 

Once the public became aware of the Astros' misdeeds ahead of the 2020 season, Gammons was told by "players, coaches and a number of people" within the organization that Altuve didn't participate in the team's sign-stealing operation. According to Gammons, Altuve asked him politely to keep quiet, saying it would be a "betrayal of my teammates." 

"Two years later, he still did not want to be singled out," Gammons wrote. 

As Gammons pointed out, Altuve has silently taken the brunt of fans' ire over the years, even though his home/road splits from 2017 show that he played much better away from Minute Maid Park. That season, Altuve slashed .311/.371/.463 at home, and .381/.449/.633 on the road. 

Gammons' account of Altuve's involvement, or lack thereof, in the Astros' sign-stealing vibes with former teammate Carlos Correa, who in 2020 told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal that Altuve "was the one guy that didn't use the trash can." 

If being public enemy No. 1 in the eyes of many is weighing Altuve down, he isn't showing. In 2022, the 32-year-old posted another All-Star campaign, winning his sixth Silver Slugger Award while batting .300/.387/.533 with 28 homers and 57 RBI.