The Houston Astros have made a move for a reliever, albeit an unexpected one.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Astros have acquired Roberto Osuna from the Toronto Blue Jays.
Source: #Astros get Osuna from #BlueJays.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 30, 2018
The Astros are giving up former closer Ken Giles, who has struggled and been demoted to the minors this season.
Ken Giles going from #Astros to #BlueJays in Osuna deal, source says.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 30, 2018
There’s a non-baseball angle that’s impossible to ignore here. Osuna is suspended until early August due to a domestic violence incident, where he is still facing charges in Canada. Reports have indicated that the case was a serious one. Osuna has a 2.87 career ERA and 104 saves, so he’s a quality pitcher with plenty of experience. Given the allegations against him, however, he’s going to be a very controversial addition.
As for Giles, he was demoted earlier in July after cursing out his manager while being removed from a game. That, it turns out, will be his last act in an Astros uniform, with Houston deciding a change of scenery was necessary.
