*Photo from the New York Post*
Mike Bolsinger hasn't pitched in a major league game since August 4, 2017, when he had a disastrous outing against the Houston Astros. Now, Bolsinger is taking legal action against the Astros. Bolsinger has filed a civil suit against the Astros in Los Angeles Superior Court, accusing the team of unfair business practices, negligence, and intentional interference with contractual and economic relations. Bolsinger is requesting unspecified damages for himself, and is also demanding that the Astros forfeit the $31 million in postseason bonuses they earned for winning the world series in 2017, the season that they were punished for illegal sign stealing.
The Astros sign stealing scheme involved banging on trash cans to give signs to their batters. Bolsinger's suit claims there was banging on 12 of the 29 pitches he threw. Bolsinger said of the outing that "I don't know if I’ve had a worse outing in my professional career, I remember saying, 'It was like they knew what I was throwing. They're laying off pitches they weren't laying off before. It's like they knew what was coming.' That was the thought in my head. I felt like I didn't have a chance."
After Bolsinger's failed outing, he was DFA'd by Toronto and hasn't pitched in the majors since, but has been pitching in Japan. Meanwhile, the Astros went on to win the world series in 2017, and no players were punished for their roles in the scandal, but manager AJ Hinch and GM Jeff Luhnow were suspended one year and subsequently fired by owner Jim Crane. Bolsinger said that "I don't think the punishment has fit the crime, and let's be honest, all these guys are going to get managing jobs again. … Guys like us that were cheated? I don't have a job. I'm not playing."
After he filed the suit against the Astros, Bolsinger detailed why in an editorial for the Washington Post. He said that "My opinion is that cheating brought the Astros lavish rewards and that real accountability is needed, I want my lawsuit to lead to positive change. In addition to seeking personal damages, I’m demanding that the Astros donate their $31 million in 2017 postseason bonuses to charity. Baseball is at an important crossroads. How the game responds to this scandal will define its credibility and its existence for years to come."
On Thursday, Crane held a press conference at their spring training facilities, stating that the team has dealt with the scandal and has moved on. Bolsinger took exception to that, saying that "Pardon me, but I disagree, the team hasn’t adequately dealt with its cheating during the 2017 season, when Houston won the World Series, and just announcing that you're moving forward doesn’t mean you can leave behind the damage you've done."
When Bolsinger found out the Astros were cheating in 2017, he had a hard time taking the news. "The news was difficult to take, I was shocked - and angry. The Astros had robbed me of the opportunity to determine my own future on the mound. If I failed at my craft because I wasn’t good enough, that would be on me. I could live with that. But thinking about the cheating and the toll it ultimately took on my family - that was something I couldn't tolerate."
Bolsinger showed promise while playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015, going 5-3 with a 2.83 ERA in his first 16 starts. He finished with a 3.62 ERA over 21 appearances. His overall numbers in 2016 and 2017 weren't anything special, however. Since joining the Japan league, Bolsinger has a 18-8 record with a 3.87 ERA across two seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines.
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