Michael P. Bolsinger (born January 29, 1988) is an American former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
. He played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
,
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
, and
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
and for the
Chiba Lotte Marines
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, in the Kantō region, and owned by Lotte Holdings Co., Ltd.
History
The Marines franchise began in 1950 as the Mainichi Orions, an inaugural ...
of
Nippon Professional Baseball
or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''.
Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...
(NPB).
Early life
Bolsinger graduated from
McKinney North High School
McKinney North High School (commonly known as North, McKinney North, or MNHS) is a public secondary school located on 2550 Wilmeth Road in McKinney, Texas, US. The school is part of the McKinney Independent School District. Mckinney North current ...
in
McKinney, Texas
McKinney is a city in and the county seat of Collin County, Texas. It is Collin County's third-largest city, after Plano and Frisco. A suburb of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, McKinney is about north of Dallas.
The U.S. Census Bureau l ...
, where he was a three-year letterman in Baseball.
As a senior, he pitched to a 9–3
win–loss record
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...
with a 1.66
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) and 116
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s
[ and took his team to the state semi-finals, beating the Highland Park High School team that included future teammate ]Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Edward Kershaw (born March 19, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) . He has played for the Dodgers for the entirety of his MLB career. A left-handed starting p ...
. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
in the 34th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball draft and his high school coach said "Obviously he has the talent to play at the next level. It's not much of a surprise to me that he got drafted."[ He chose not to sign with the Indians because of the low round and, even though he had signed a letter of intent to ]Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
, he chose instead to attend Grayson County Community College in the hopes of being drafted again the next year.[ In 10 appearances for Grayson, he was 6–1 with a 2.93 ERA and struck out 48 batters.]
Bolsinger played in the Texas Collegiate League
The Texas Collegiate League (TCL) is a collegiate summer baseball league made up of teams from the states of Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. The league's headquarters are in Coppell, Texas. Uri Geva, owner of the Brazos Valley Bombers, is the le ...
during the summer of 2007 and chose to transfer to the University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkansas ...
for the 2008 season.[ As a sophomore in 2008, he was 4–1 with a 3.73 ERA in 15 games, most of them out of the bullpen.] He missed the start of the 2009 season as he was battling a bad case of mononucleosis
Infectious mononucleosis (IM, mono), also known as glandular fever, is an infection usually caused by the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). Most people are infected by the virus as children, when the disease produces few or no symptoms. In young adult ...
He was 6–4 with a 2.99 ERA in 30 games pitched that season[ as the Razorbacks advanced to the ]College World Series
The College World Series (CWS), officially the NCAA Men's College World Series (MCWS), is an annual baseball tournament held in June in Omaha, Nebraska. The MCWS is the culmination of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divisi ...
, where they finished third. He was drafted in the 33rd round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft by the Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
, but chose to return to Arkansas for his senior season. Bolsinger began the 2010 season as the team's closer and earned a spot on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association "Stopper of the Year Watch List." However, he made a successful transition to the starting rotation during the season and earned Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities of ...
pitcher of the week honors on May 10 when pitched eight innings and struck out 11 while allowing only two hits against the University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi (byname Ole Miss) is a public research university that is located adjacent to Oxford, Mississippi, and has a medical center in Jackson. It is Mississippi's oldest public university and its largest by enrollment.
...
. For the season, Bolsinger appeared in 23 games (13 as a starter) and was 6–5 with a 4.81 ERA.[
]
Professional career
Arizona Diamondbacks
Bolsinger was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
in the 15th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft
The 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held on June 7–9, 2010 at the MLB Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey.
First-round selections
The draft order was determined based on the 2009 MLB standings, with the worst team pic ...
and signed on June 26, 2010. He was assigned to the Short Season-A Yakima Bears
The Yakima Bears were a minor league baseball team in the northwest United States, located in Yakima, Washington. The Bears competed at the Class A Short Season level as members of the Northwest League from 1990 to 2012. Following the 2012 season, ...
of the Northwest League
The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Pacific Northwest, Northwestern United States and Western Canada. A Class A Short Season league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Maj ...
, where he had a 1.69 ERA in six games. He spent most of 2011 with the Class-A South Bend Silver Hawks
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz' ...
of the Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...
, appearing in 32 games and starting 13 of them. He also made one scoreless relief appearance with the Triple-A Reno Aces
The Reno Aces are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are located in Reno, Nevada, and play their home games at Greater Nevada Field, which opened in 2009. ...
. He posted a 6–6 record with a 2.63 ERA and 91 strikeouts in the 2011 season.[ 2012 was split between the Advanced-A ]Visalia Rawhide
The Visalia Rawhide are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are located in Visalia, California, and have played their home games at Valley Strong Ballpark since their ...
of the California League
The California League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in California. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major Leag ...
and the Double-A Mobile BayBears
The Mobile BayBears were a Minor League Baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama, United States. The team, which played in the Southern League, served as the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres (1997–2006), Arizona Diamondbacks (2007–2 ...
of the Southern League. Combined he started 22 games and went 7–5 with a 3.35 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 115 innings.[
Bolsinger began the 2013 season with nine appearances for Mobile, six of which were starts, and pitched to a 4–0 record, 2.51 ERA, and 31 strikeouts when he was promoted to Reno. Bolsinger would make 17 starts for Reno, and post a 7–7 win–loss record, 4.72 ERA.][
Bolsinger was called up to the majors for the first time on April 14, 2014. He pitched three innings of relief that day against the ]New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
, while allowing six hits and two runs. He got his first Major League start on April 19 against the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
and allowed seven runs in four innings to take the loss and recorded his first win when he worked 6.2 innings against the Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
on April 24. That was his only win however as he went 1–6 with a 5.50 ERA in 10 games (nine starts) for the Diamondbacks in 2014.[ He also made 16 starts for Reno and was 8–3 with a 3.93 ERA.][ He was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks on November 20, 2014.
]
Los Angeles Dodgers
Bolsinger was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
in exchange for cash considerations on November 22, 2014. He was assigned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers
The Oklahoma City Dodgers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and play their home games at Chickasaw Bricktown Bal ...
. The Dodgers recalled him from the minors to make a spot start on April 23 against the San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
. He pitched 6 innings, allowing one run on 5 hits and had 5 strikeouts, but was not involved in the decision. He returned to the minors the following day. On May 23 against the San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
, Bolsinger retired 23 straight batters after giving up a leadoff single to Yangervis Solarte
Yangervis Alfredo Solarte (born July 3, 1987) is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder for the Algodoneros de Unión Laguna of the Mexican League. He made his MLB debut for the New York Yankees on April 2, 2014, and has also played for th ...
as he and Kenley Jansen
Kenley Geronimo Jansen (born September 30, 1987) is a Curaçaoan professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves.
Signed by the ...
faced only the minimum 27 batters in the game. He rejoined the Dodgers when rosters expanded in September. In 21 starts, he was 6–6 with a 3.62 ERA. Bolsinger began the 2016 season in Triple-A. He made six starts for the Dodgers in 2016, posting a 1–4 record, 6.83 ERA, and 25 strikeouts in 27 innings.[
]
Toronto Blue Jays
On August 1, 2016, the Dodgers traded Bolsinger to the Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
for Jesse Chavez
Jesse David Chavez (born August 21, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Atlanta Braves organization. He played college baseball at Riverside Community College, and was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 42nd round of the 2 ...
. He was optioned to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...
, and recalled by the Blue Jays the following day. He was optioned back to Buffalo on August 3, without appearing in a game for Toronto. On April 1, 2017, Bolsinger was designated for assignment. He cleared waivers and was assigned back to Buffalo. On May 9, Bolsinger was called up by the Blue Jays. He made his first appearance for the Blue Jays that night, making a start and allowing two runs in 5 innings in a 6–0 defeat to the Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
. On June 1, Bolsinger was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays. After clearing waivers, he accepted an assignment back to Triple-A Buffalo. On July 3, Bolsinger was re-added to the roster and recalled. On July 18, during the 13th inning of a game against the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
, Bolsinger became the second pitcher in franchise history to strike out 4 men in an inning, when he struck out Mitch Moreland
Mitchell Austin Moreland (born September 6, 1985), nicknamed "2-Bags", is an American professional baseball first baseman who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres ...
, Jackie Bradley Jr.
Jackie Bradley Jr. (born April 19, 1990), nicknamed "JBJ", is an American professional baseball right fielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers and Toronto Blue Jays. List ...
, Deven Marrero
Deven Sommer Marrero (born August 25, 1990) is an American professional baseball infielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, Miami Marlins and New York Met ...
, and Christian Vázquez. Bolsinger would take the loss in the game after allowing a walk-off home run to Hanley Ramírez
Hanley Ramírez (born December 23, 1983) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, Florida / Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cleveland Indians. Ram ...
in the 15th inning. He was designated for assignment on August 5. On October 2, Bolsinger elected free agency.
Chiba Lotte Marines
On December 13, 2017, Bolsinger signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, in the Kantō region, and owned by Lotte Holdings Co., Ltd.
History
The Marines franchise began in 1950 as the Mainichi Orions, an inaugural ...
of Nippon Professional Baseball
or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''.
Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...
(NPB). He was selected to the 2018 NPB All-Star game. Bolsinger finished the 2018 campaign with a 13-2 record and 3.06 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 117.2 innings pitched. On January 9, 2019, he re-signed with the Marines. Bolsinger worked to a 5-6 record and 4.42 ERA in 23 appearances in 2019. On November 30, the Marines announced Bolsinger would not return for the next season. On December 2, 2019, he became a free agent. In his two seasons for the Mariners, Bolsinger had a 17-8 record with a 3.79 ERA and 170 strikeouts.
Long Island Ducks
On March 16, 2021, Bolsinger signed with the Long Island Ducks
The Long Island Ducks are an American professional minor-league baseball team based on Long Island in Central Islip, New York. The Ducks compete in the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB), an independent "partne ...
of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league based in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. The Atlantic League's ...
. Bolsinger pitched in 15 games for the Ducks, logging a 1-4 record and 5.31 ERA with 37 strikeouts. He became a free agent following the season.
Post-playing career
In September 2021, Bolsinger joined Millsaps College
Millsaps College is a private liberal arts college in Jackson, Mississippi. It was founded in 1890 and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.
History
The college was founded in 1889–90 by a Confederate veteran, Major Reuben Webster M ...
as a coach for the baseball team.
Houston Astros lawsuit
In February 2020, following MLB's findings in the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal
The Houston Astros sign stealing scandal resulted from a series of rule violations by members of the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB), who used technology to steal signs of opposing teams during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
For yea ...
, Bolsinger filed a lawsuit against the Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
for personal damages to his career. Additionally, he is demanding that the Astros donate their $31 million in 2017 postseason bonuses to charity. Bolsinger authored an opinion article in ''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' explaining his reason for suing the Astros. Curiously, he filed the lawsuit in California despite there being no connection between Bolsinger, the Astros, or California. Judge David Cowan of the Los Angeles Superior Court dismissed the lawsuit. A refiling in Texas led to a subsequent nonfiling by August 2021, which meant the case was dismissed without prejudice.[https://trellis.law/doc/67968314/proposed-order-on-partial-non-suit-without-prejudice]
See also
* List of Major League Baseball single-inning strikeout leaders
In baseball, a strikeout occurs when a pitcher throws three strikes to a batter during his time at bat. Under Rules 6.05 and 6.09 of the Official Rules of Major League Baseball, a batter becomes a runner when a third strike is not caught by ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bolsinger, Mike
1988 births
Living people
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
American expatriate baseball players in Japan
Arizona Diamondbacks players
Arkansas Razorbacks baseball players
Baseball players from Texas
Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
Chiba Lotte Marines players
Grayson Vikings baseball players
Long Island Ducks players
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Mobile BayBears players
Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers
Oklahoma City Dodgers players
People from McKinney, Texas
Reno Aces players
South Bend Silver Hawks players
Toronto Blue Jays players
Visalia Rawhide players
Yakima Bears players