WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo didn’t mince words when it came to the Astros.



Speaking for the first time on Houston since The Athletic broke the story of the Astros stealing signs electronically and Commissioner Rob Manfred’s investigation, Rizzo credited his club — which beat the Astros in seven games in the 2019 World Series — for blocking out “all the noise” that came from Houston, whose trash-can banging scheme in 2017 and ’18 has made national headlines all winter.



“Someone has got to say the word over there, cheated, that’s important to me,” Rizzo said. “And for the sport to move on, which is what I’m most concerned about, is we have to make sure that all the I’s are dotted, and T’s are crossed on this investigation before we end it.”



The Astros’ apologies on Thursday weren’t good enough for many people, as players...