Mike Fiers Says He Received Death Threats After Whistleblowing on Astros

Oakland Athletics pitcher Mike Fiers says he's received death threats since going public with the Houston Astros' sign-stealing methods from his time with the team.

"Whatever, I don't care. I've dealt with a lot of death threats before," he said, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. "It's just another thing on my plate." 

Fiers told Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of The Athletic in November that the Astros stole signs during home games in 2017 with the use of a camera in center field. Three other people with the Astros confirmed the allegation, but they did so anonymously.

MLB opened an investigation following the article and found the team guilty, suspending manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow—who were later fired—while also removing draft picks and fining the organization.

While Fiers was proven correct, he's taken heat for being a whistleblower against his former teammates.

Former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz called the pitcher a "snitch" on Thursday:

ESPN broadcast Jessica Mendoza said on Golic and Wingo she had a problem with Fiers going public, per Bill Baer of NBC Sports.

Fiers spent parts of three seasons with the Astros from 2015-17, leading the team in innings pitched the year the squad won the World Series, although he didn't make the postseason roster due to his inconsistency.

The 34-year-old moved on to the Detroit Tigers and eventually the Oakland Athletics where he signed a two-year, $14.1 million deal before last season.

Despite his role in uncovering the recent scandal, he doesn't seem concerned about what's coming to him.

"If I'm worried about any retaliation," Fiers said, "I'm not going to be ready for the season."