DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers fired pitching coach Chris Bosio, saying he made insensitive comments to another employee of the team.
"I have to take seriously what the comments were," Tigers general manager Al Avila said, declining to give details. "And, the action we took was appropriate."
The Tigers promoted bullpen coach Rick Anderson to replace Bosio. Roving pitching instructor A.J. Sager will be the team’s bullpen coach until Triple-A Toledo pitching coach Jeff Pico takes his place next week.
Avila said Bosio made the comments recently and they were brought to Avila’s attention Tuesday. Avila decided Wednesday to terminate Bosio’s contract after the team investigated the situation and spoke to all of the people involved.
Avila said what Bosio said violated team policy and his contract, though Avila otherwise spoke highly of Bosio’s job performance.
"He definitely was a good pitching coach," Avila said.
Tigers right-hander Alex Wilson said he and teammates heard rumours of what had taken place.
"We’re sorry to everyone that it affected," Wilson said. "It’s not a good day here. It’s a sad day. But we’re going to move forward, and hopefully this brings us closer than we’ve ever been."
Bosio, a former major league pitcher, was in his first season as Detroit’s pitching coach after serving in the same role for six years with the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs didn’t renew Bosio’s contract after last season and hired Jim Hickey to replace him, reuniting manager Joe Maddon with his pitching coach in Tampa Bay.
The 55-year-old Bosio was 94-93 over an 11-season career, mostly as a starter, with Milwaukee and Seattle. The right-hander threw a no-hitter in 1993 for the Mariners against the Boston Red Sox.
Bosio was hailed for his work with the Cubs’ pitchers, helping them have the lowest ERA in the major leagues from 2015 through 2017. Chicago won the 2016 World Series and reached the NL Championship Series last year and three years ago with Bosio as its pitching coach.
His first job in the majors was in 2003 as the pitching coach for Lou Piniella in Tampa Bay. He also has worked as a pitching coach in the minor leagues and an advance scout for the Brewers, who named him interim pitching coach in 2009.
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