Assistant GM fired after remarks about Osuna to female reporters
Team feels he targeted one writer in particular
WASHINGTON — The Houston Astros fired assistant general manager Brandon Taubman on Thursday after an investigation with Major League Baseball concluded that he directed inappropriate comments at female reporters during the team’s postgame clubhouse celebration Saturday.
In an Sports Illustrated article published online Monday, Taubman was alleged to have repeatedly shouted at three female reporters, “Thank God we got Osuna! I’m so (expletive) glad we got Osuna!”
Taubman was referring to Roberto Osuna, the Astros’ closer. The team traded for Osuna last season as he completed a 75-game suspension for allegedly assaulting the mother of his child months earlier. One of the women Taubman yelled at was wearing a purple bracelet for domestic violence awareness. She also regularly tweeted phone numbers for domestic violence awareness hot lines when Osuna pitched after Houston acquired him.
Shortly after the article appeared on
Sports Illustrated’s website, the Astros asserted Taubman’s behavior was misconstrued and accused the reporter, Stephanie Apstein, of fabricating a story.
On Thursday, the Astros apologized. “Our initial investigation led us to believe that Brandon Taubman’s inappropriate comments were not directed toward any reporter,” the statement read. “We were wrong. We sincerely apologize to Stephanie Apstein, Sports Illustrated and to all individuals who witnessed this incident or were offended by the inappropriate conduct. The Astros in no way intended to minimize the issues related to domestic violence.”
Taubman, 34, joined the Astros in 2013 and was promoted to assistant general manager in 2018. He received a contract extension last month.
On Tuesday, he released a statement in response to the allegations. He maintained his behavior was “misinterpreted” and that the outburst stemmed from his “overexuberance in support” of Osuna, who had allowed a game-tying home run in the ninth inning against the Yankees in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series that night. He said he was “sorry if anyone was offended by my actions.”
The apology was met with criticism. Two days later, he was unemployed.