David Ortiz Calls Mike Fiers a 'Snitch' For Revealing Astros Sign Stealing
David Ortiz discussed the Astros' sign-stealing scandal on Thursday, but the former Red Sox designated hitter didn't tee off on Houston's collection of hitters. Instead, Ortiz's ire was directed at A's pitcher Mike Fiers, who Ortiz referred to as a "snitch."
Fiers was a member of the Astros' 2017 World Series team, but he went on record in November 2019 to disclose Houston's sign-stealing scheme. Ortiz wasn't a fan of Fiers' decision.
“I’m mad at this guy, the pitcher that came out talking about it," Ortiz said on Thursday, according to MassLive's Christopher Smith. "And let me tell you why. Oh, after you make your money after you get your ring you decide to talk about it. Why don’t you talk about it during the season when it was going on? Why didn’t you say, ‘I don’t want to be no part of [this]?' Now you look like a snitch. ...Why did nobody say anything while it was going on?”
Fiers discussed the scandal on Thursday. The 34-year-old pitcher revealed he has received death threats for uncovering the Astros' scheme, and Fiers added that he will give back his World Series ring if the rest of the 2017 Astros do the same.
"I'm not away from this, I was a part of that team, I was one of those guys," Fiers told the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser. "I'm willing to take as much punishment as they do. If they ask me to [return the ring], it's not the end of the world."
Neither Fiers nor any member of the 2017 Astros has been punished by Major League Baseball following the scandal. Houston owner Jim Crane fired former manager A.J. Hinch and former general manager Jeff Luhnow on Jan. 13.
The Astros' scandal impacted the Red Sox as well. Boston fired former manager Alex Cora on Jan. 14, just over two years after Cora served as Hinch's bench coach in Houston. Cora guided the Red Sox to the 2018 World Series in his first year as manager.