Ex-MLB Pitcher Mike Bolsinger Sues Astros over Sign-Stealing Scandal

Mike Bolsinger last pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017, the season in which the Houston Astros were found to have illegally stolen signs en route to winning the World Series. 

Monday, according to USA Today's Nancy Armour, the 32-year-old ex-pitcher filed a civil lawsuit against the Astros in Los Angeles Superior Court citing unfair business practices, negligence and intentional interference with contractual and economic relations.

"There's a message to be sent to youth out there—especially athletes, more specifically baseball players," Bolsinger told Armour. "It was awesome to [grow up and] watch the game played the right way. We've kind of drifted from that. It's something we can really express to these kids: You don't have to cheat to get to where you want to go. This kind of stuff doesn't need to happen."

The damages Bolsinger is seeking include the Astros having to forfeit approximately $31 million in World Series title bonuses. He would then like for that money to "go to charities in Los Angeles focused on bettering kids' lives, as well as to create a fund for retired baseball players who need financial assistance."

Bolsinger's MLB career began with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014 before pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015 and 2016 and ending with the Blue Jays. His best season came as a Dodger in 2015 with a 3.62 ERA and 6-6 record across 21 starts.

The Dodgers lost the 2017 World Series to the Astros in seven games. 

Bolsinger pitched against the 2017 Astros in two games. His 12.71 ERA against Houston was his worst against any of the 10 teams he pitched against that season. He gave up eight earned runs on 10 hits (three home runs) opposite seven strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched. 

MLB released its official findings from an investigation into the Astros on Jan. 13. The organization was found to have used electronic equipment to steal opposing teams' signs and relayed that illegally acquired information to batters during games. General manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch were suspended without pay for the 2020 season by the league and subsequently fired by the Astros.

Alex Cora, who served as a bench coach for Houston in 2017, was named culpable in the investigation and lost his job as manager of the Boston Red Sox. Carlos Beltran, an Astros player at the time and the only player to be named in the MLB report, also stepped down as New York Mets manager.

MLB's investigation was prompted by Oakland Athletics pitcher Mike Fiers telling The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich in Nov. 2019 that the Astros were electronically stealing signs while he was with the team in 2017.

"I just want the game to be cleaned up a little bit because there are guys who are losing their jobs because they're going in there not knowing," Fiers told The Athletic. "Young guys getting hit around in the first couple of innings starting a game, and then they get sent down. It's [B.S.] on that end. It's ruining jobs for younger guys. The guys who know are more prepared. But most people don't." 

Bolsinger is the first to take legal action against Houston, but he's far from the first to publicly criticize the Astros for what they did.