Why are Dodgers fans booing George Springer? Explaining Astros-related reason for jeers towards Blue Jays star

Los Angeles Dodgers fans might not have reason to hate the Toronto Blue Jays -- at least, not yet -- but they are not fans of George Springer, to say the least.

The reason doesn't stem from Springer's time north of the border. The veteran outfielder has a history with the Dodgers dating back to his time with the Houston Astros, who won their first championship with a World Series win over L.A. in 2017.

That result alone isn't the only reason Dodgers fans are showing their disdain toward the former World Series MVP. 

Here's what you need to know about Dodgers fans' tense relationship with Springer.

MORE: Breaking down Max Scherzer's World Series history

Why are Dodgers fans booing George Springer?

Springer was part of the 2017 Astros team that was found to have illegally stolen signs using a video camera system. That team defeated the Dodgers in a closely-contested seven-game World Series to capture its first championship.

Involvement in the sign-stealing scandal has been enough to key players such as Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman earn some boos in rival stadiums. For the Dodgers, however, Springer is a particular target because of how dominant he was in the 2017 World Series.

Springer earned World Series MVP honors, batting .379 with five home runs. He closed the series with three consecutive multi-hit games and four consecutive games with a home run. The Dodgers have enjoyed plenty of success in the eight years since their World Series loss to the Astros, including a pair of their own titles, but Dodgers fans haven't quickly forgotten his success and the illegal advantages Houston apparently gave itself.

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Astros sign-stealing scandal

The Astros were found to have illegally stolen signs during the 2017 season and a portion of the 2018 season. Houston used a video camera system to pick up on opposing pitchers' signs and relayed them using distinct sounds, including banging on a trash can in the dugout.

The system wasn't unearthed until after the 2019 season, when information from former Astros starter Mike Fiers drove a bombshell report from The Athletic that detailed the organization's violations. MLB investigated the allegations and confirmed most of them in a report issued two months later.

The Astros fired manager A.J. Hinch and GM Jeff Luhnow as a result of the investigation. Before their firings, Hinch and Luhnow were each issued one-year suspensions. The investigation found that Hinch did not approve of the system but did not sufficiently act to end it, while Luhnow was not found to have had any knowledge of the system but was suspended because his position made him accountable for the team's conduct, in MLB's eyes.

Hinch was hired as the Detroit Tigers' manager after his suspension, while Luhnow has not worked in baseball since the scandal.

Players were not suspended as a result of the scandal, which went down as a controversial decision by MLB. Carlos Beltran, who retired after 2017, was the only player specifically named in MLB's report, with the league finding that he and other unnamed players worked with bench coach Alex Cora to create the system.

Beltran, who had been hired as manager of the New York Mets a few months earlier, resigned before ever managing a game, while Cora was fired as Red Sox manager and suspended for the 2020 season months after the initial report, but he was re-hired after the season.

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George Springer 2017 World Series stats

Springer opened the 2017 World Series with a hitless night in Game 1, but he was unstoppable the rest of the way, batting .440 with five home runs and 11 hits over the final six games of the series. Springer became the first World Series MVP in Astros history after Houston won Game 7 in Los Angeles.

George Springer playoff stats vs. Dodgers

Springer continued his postseason success against the Dodgers at the start of the 2025 World Series, going 3-for-8 with a hit-by-pitch over the first two games of the series despite not hitting a home run.