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Former Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow filed a lawsuit on Monday against his former employer for breach of contract, asking for more than $ 22 million after he alleged his dismissal was the result of a “negotiated resolution “between owner Jim Crane and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred who helped the Astros retain their 2017 World Series championship.
Luhnow’s attorneys wrote in the file that the deal between Crane and Manfred “made Luhnow a scapegoat for a sign-stealing scandal he had no knowledge of and played no role in.”
The lawsuit was filed in Harris County, Texas District Court.
According to the record, Luhnow still owed $ 22 million in guaranteed compensation when he was terminated from a contract signed on May 24, 2018, which was to pay him more than $ 31 million in guaranteed compensation, performance bonuses, interest on profits and other benefits.
Luhnow is asking for restitution which includes the balance of his compensation, plus attorney’s fees and court costs. He is also seeking a jury trial.
His lawyers allege in the lawsuit that the MLB’s investigation into the Astros Sign theft scheme was “deeply flawed” and that there was “no credible evidence” that Luhnow was aware of it.
They also stress that “the video room employees who designed and orchestrated the sign theft system remained employed by the club throughout the 2020 season”.
Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch were sacked by the Astros in January when the MLB investigation results were released. Both men were suspended for one season by the MLB, with suspensions ending after the World Series. Hinch has since been hired as manager of the Detroit Tigers.
Luhnow’s attorneys alleged that Tom Koch-Weser, the Astros’ director of preliminary information, was the only one of 70 witnesses in the MLB investigation to say Luhnow spoke of electronic sign theft. They claimed that Koch-Weser stole signs and lied during the baseball investigation and alleged that the Astros told Koch-Weser “that he could keep his job as long as his actions were sanctioned by his superiors, including Luhnow. “
They said Manfred’s investigation “could only produce one untrustworthy source – the real frontrunner of the Astros’ sign-stealing schemes who ‘involved’ Luhnow to save his own job.”
MLB declined to comment, spokesman Michael Teevan said. The Astros and Koch-Weser did not respond to emails seeking comment.
The “investigation” apparently did not examine – and the Commissioner rightly neglected to mention in his report the more than 22,000 simultaneous text and chat messages sent or received by this individual that undermine his score after the fact on Luhnow, ”the lawyers wrote.
They claimed Koch-Weser texted his colleagues “don’t tell Jeff”.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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