The Toronto Blue Jays were losing to the Houston Astros on Aug. 4, 2017, when they called on relief pitcher Mike Bolsinger to help keep the game close.
Bolsinger, a resident of Carrollton resident and a former McKinney High School baseball star, needed a strong performance to keep his position on the Toronto roster. A bad showing meant he would be sent back to the minor leagues.
“The Astros unlawful and tortious business practices have had consequences far beyond wins or losses and strikeouts or home runs. Indeed, the Astros have been unduly enriched in the amount of hundreds of millions of dollars by their illicit scheme.”
But Bolsinger, in a new lawsuit filed Monday against the Houston Astros, says he never had a real chance because the Astros hitters were cheating by using electronic equipment to steal signs that allowed them to know the specific pitch Bolsinger would throw.
Bolsinger gave up four runs and was able to get only one Astros hitter out.
The next day, Toronto officials – citing Bolsinger’s poor performance – sent the pitcher back to the minor leagues. Despite being only 29 years old at the time, Bolsinger has not been hired by a Major League Baseball club since the horrific game against the Astros.
Bolsinger’s lawsuit points to the sign-stealing scheme orchestrated by the Astros management and players as the reason for the demise of his pitching career.
The complaint accuses the Astros with unfair business practices, negligence and intentional interference with contractual relations.
“The Astros unlawful and tortious business practices have had consequences far beyond wins or losses and strikeouts or home runs,” states the 15-page complaint filed Monday in Los Angeles. “Indeed, the Astros have been unduly enriched in the amount of hundreds of millions of dollars by their illicit scheme.”
Bolsinger says he “suffered and continues to suffer” because the Astros actions unfairly harmed his career.
The lawsuit, filed by the Geragos & Geragos law firm in Los Angeles, seeks to have the $31 millions in bonuses and earnings by the Astros from the 2017 World Series victory be paid to charity. He also seeks economic damages for the loss of income he suffered as a result of the Astros scheme.
The Houston Astros have not returned a call seeking a comment.
Legal experts said Monday that the litigation could become a huge nightmare for Astros players because they will be required to testify under oath, which would subject them to additional liabilities.
Journalists covering the Astros scandal have repeatedly cited Bolsinger as an example of how the sign stealing scheme damaged specific players’ careers.
In his senior year of high school, Bolsinger led McKinney to the state semi-finals, where they defeated a Highland Park High School team that included Los Angeles Dodgers star Clayton Kershaw.