Jays ship Osuna to Astros for Giles in swap of closers
SEATTLE — Swapping a closer with on-field problems for one with off-field troubles, baseball’s World Series-champion Houston Astros traded Ken Giles to the Toronto Blue Jays along with a pair of pitching prospects for Roberto Osuna on Monday.
Houston also sent right-handers David Paulino and Hector Perez to Toronto as part of the deal, a day before the deadline for trades without waivers.
“This was one (deal) that made sense form a baseball perspective,” Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said on a conference call Monday. “Extremely excited about Giles, Perez and Paulino joining the organization. I think for many reasons this deal made sense and it starts with the talent we’re acquiring.”
The 23-year-old Osuna is eligible to pitch in the big leagues starting Sunday after a 75-game suspension under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. He has made six scoreless one-inning appearances in the minors since July 14, the last three at Triple-A.
Osuna has not pitched in the majors since May 6, two days before he was put on administrative leave when he was charged with one count of assault in Toronto — which remains pending. His next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday in Toronto.
Atkins was asked whether having the bad optics of Osuna returning to pitch for the Jays factored in the decision to make
the move. “We do feel a responsibility to the fans and we do feel empathy for the fans and we ultimately work for the fans,” he said.
“That’s how we do our jobs. We are human and it is very difficult for accusations not to influence us in some way.
“Having said that, this made sense for the organization from a baseball perspective.”
Astros Justin Verlander and Lance McCullers Jr. voiced disdain for domestic abusers in March when video leaked of former Astros prospect Danry Vasquez beating his girlfriend. Vasquez was released by Houston following an arrest for the incident in 2016. KRIS-TV in Houston obtained and aired the video, which showed Vasquez, still partly in uniform, hitting his girlfriend in a stairwell at Double-A Corpus Christi’s stadium.
“(Middle finger emoji) you man,” Verlander tweeted. “I hope the rest of your life without baseball is horrible. You deserve all that is coming your way!”
“This is the reality of domestic violence,” McCullers wrote. “It’s always brutal, always sickening. We must fight for the victims, video or not. He should be in jail. If you need help, find it. People care.”
Osuna is 0-0 with nine saves in 10 chances and a 2.93 ERA in 15 games this season. He was an All-Star last year, when he went 3-4 with 39 saves and a 3.38 ERA.
The right-hander would be eligible to pitch in the post-season, unlike players suspended under the drug policy this year, such as Seattle second baseman Robinson Cano, who is ineligible.
“There were a couple of other teams that were interested in Roberto, and it came down to Houston obviously being the most interested, or at least lining up the best with us in terms of return,” Atkins said.
Osuna lost 89 days’ pay, which comes to $2,536,022 of his $5.3 million salary, and the suspension delayed his eligibility for free agency by one year until after the 2021 season.
“The due diligence by our front office was unprecedented. We are confident that Osuna is remorseful, has wilfully complied with all consequences related to his past behaviour, has proactively engaged in counselling, and will fully comply with our zero tolerance policy related to abuse of any kind,” said Astros GM Jeff Luhnow.
In a statement released by the Astros, Osuna said: “I thank Jeff Luhnow and the entire Astros organization for believing in me. I will not let them down.”
The 27-year-old Giles is 0-2 with 12 saves and a 4.99 ERA this year, and is currently in the minors.
Giles punched himself in the face May 1 while heading to the dugout after giving up a threerun, ninth-inning homer to the Yankees’ Gary Sanchez. He was optioned to Triple-A Fresno on July 11, a night after the hardthrowing righty appeared to curse at manager A.J. Hinch when he lifted him.
The 27-year-old Giles had 34 saves in 38 chances with a 2.30 ERA and 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings for the Astros last season. Houston won its first World Series title, but he struggled in the post-season. He allowed two runs in three innings against Boston in the AL Division Series. He surrendered three more runs, taking the loss in Game 4 of the ALCS against the New York Yankees, and allowed five runs in a pair of World Series appearances against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Giles entered Game 4 in the ninth with the game tied at 1 and allowed all three batters to reach base. Giles took the loss and did not appear again in the series.
The 24-year-old Paulino is 2-1 with a 6.25 ERA in nine games with the Astros this year and has a 4.67 ERA in seven games for Triple-A Fresno and the rookielevel Gulf Coast League Astros.
Paulino missed most of 2017 suspended 80 games without pay for testing positive for a performance enhancing substance. The 22-year-old Perez is 3-4 with two saves and a 3.73 ERA in 21 games at Class A Buies Creek and Double-A Corpus Christi.