Using electronic equipment for illegal sign stealing in Major League Baseball could go all the way back to 2015, and it could’ve started with the Yankees.

That’s what MLB Network insider and National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Peter Gammons told 97.3 The Fan in San Diego on the “Gwynn and Chris On Demand” podcast.

Gammons was being asked about what potential punishment could be coming for the Boston Red Sox as commissioner Rob Manfred investigates the illegal use of electronic equipment under the direction of former manager Alex Cora during the 2018 season. Cora also was implicated in Manfred’s report on the Astros’ sign-stealing operation in 2017. Cora was the bench coach for Houston manager AJ Hinch that season. Astros owner Jim Crane has since fired and replaced Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow.

On the podcast, Gammons relayed a conversation he had with former MLB outfielder Chris Young. “He told me, ‘Kind of my idea. I showed (the Red Sox) the whole Apple watch thing. I got it from the Yankees.’ Nobody was telling them no at the time. I mean, the Yankees weren’t blatantly cheating. I don’t think the Red Sox really thought it was blatantly cheating, either. But the commissioner took care of it and warned them.”

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Gammons also said that as a result of the Apple watch investigation, the Red Sox are on a short leash. “If they (find) things that are egregious, they might really hammer them because they were warned on the Apple watch.”

SNY’s Andy Martino reported Tuesday that Young denied making those comments to Gammons.

Also, Chris Young denies ever saying this and declines further comment. https://t.co/UW0Wmyd98B — Andy Martino (@martinonyc) February 4, 2020

Also on Tuesday, Gammons walked back the comments he made about Young on the podcast.

Talking about all the "cheating" allegations that get thrown around, I ran through some on a radio show w/Tony Gwynn, Jr. and mentioned a dugout convo about the '17 Apple Watch incident and Chris Young mentioning the Yankees. Chris, one of the great people who ever played... — Peter Gammons (@pgammo) February 4, 2020

called to say that if that was said, even in humor, he did not and never would have said it. His word is gold. — Peter Gammons (@pgammo) February 4, 2020

To make it clearer:Chris Young didn't talk about it, joke about it, say it — Peter Gammons (@pgammo) February 4, 2020

Young played 13 seasons in the majors. He spent 2014 and 2015 with the Yankees. He then moved on to Boston as a free agent and spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons with the Red Sox.

In 2017, a report by the New York Times detailed how the Red Sox used an Apple watch in the dugout to help steal signs from the Yankees. An investigation by Manfred followed. Here’s what he found:

"At the outset, it is important to understand that the attempt to decode signs being used by an opposing catcher is not a violation of any Major League Baseball Rule or Regulation. Major League Baseball Regulations do, however, prohibit the use of electronic equipment during games and state that no such equipment ‘may be used for the purpose of stealing signs or conveying information designed to give a Club an advantage.’ Despite this clear Regulation, the prevalence of technology, especially the technology used in the replay process, has made it increasingly difficult to monitor appropriate and inappropriate uses of electronic equipment. Based on the investigation by my office, I have nonetheless concluded that during the 2017 season the Boston Red Sox violated the Regulation quoted above by sending electronic communications from their video replay room to an athletic trainer in the dugout.

"In assessing the significance of this violation, the investigation established three relevant points. First, the violation in question occurred without the knowledge of ownership or front office personnel. Second, when the Red Sox learned of the Yankees’ complaint, they immediately halted the conduct in question and then cooperated completely in my investigation. I have received absolute assurances from the Red Sox that there will be no future violations of this type. Third, our investigation revealed that Clubs have employed various strategies to decode signs that do not violate our rules. The Red Sox’ strategy violated our rules because of the use of an electronic device.

“Taking all of these factors as well as past precedent into account, I have decided to fine the Red Sox an undisclosed amount which in turn will be donated by my office to hurricane relief efforts in Florida. Moreover, all 30 Clubs have been notified that future violations of this type will be subject to more serious sanctions, including the possible loss of draft picks.”

(NJ Advance Media’s Brendan Kuty contributed to this report.)

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.