Jays stand by Osuna

Tin Boston oronto Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker scoffs at the suggestion that right-handed reliever Roberto Osuna is no longer cut out to be a toplevel closer.

And Walker doesn’t care about one particular statistic, the one that shows Osuna having nine blown saves this season — the most in a year by a Jay since Miguel Batista had eight in 2005. It’s also the third-most in club history (Duane Ward, 12 in 1989, and Joey McLaughlin, 11 in 1983) and is tied for first in MLB this year.

Osuna came into bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday in Baltimore with Toronto ahead 4-3 and gave up a solo homer to Welington Castillo. The Jays eventually lost in a walk-off — another crushing moment in what has been a up-and-down season for the right-handed Osuna. But Walker looks beyond that particular pitch. What he saw, prior to that cutter that Castillo smashed, was Osuna at his best.

“It was an execution error. Maybe it wasn’t right to go in on Castillo in that situation, but his stuff appeared to be as good as I’ve seen it,” Walker said at Fenway Park this week. “I mean the fastball’s 95, 96 (mph), with tremendous movement. For the most part, he located, he definitely looked like he had some power back to his game. Those were all good signs. Obviously, it’s a pitch he wants back, he tried to frontdoor cut Castillo. I’m sure he feels looking back he could have got him out down and away. It was just a mistake in judgment and he didn’t execute. But to be honest, I wasn’t seeing 92s and 93s on the board. There were 95s and 96s with a lot of life. So that was very encouraging.”

Walker believes Osuna has the personal problems he experienced earlier in the season generally under control and that he’s on the upswing right now, despite the blown save Sunday. Osuna does rank high in the majors in a number of pitching categories, including saves. He was fourth overall (35) heading into Tuesday’s games. Osuna has also not allowed a home run in his last 37 innings.

“It’s interesting,” Walker continued. “Roberto’s certainly been through a lot. He’s pitched a lot. He has a lot going on, but I think he looks to me like he’s regrouped. Physically, he looks strong right now and the way the ball is coming out of his hand, I have no reason to believe why that shouldn’t continue the rest of the year.”

Walker is a personable guy, but scowls when asked about those starting to wonder if Osuna is cut out to be an everyday closer.

“I think he certainly is,” said Walker. “It’s disappointing, obviously, the way the season’s gone in a lot of respects. But he was an all-star to start the year, ran into a pretty good rut but he seems to be working through it and he’s kept a positive attitude. He comes to the field every day ready to take the ball and work and he’s still the guy everybody wants out there in the ninth inning.”