Blue Jays trade suspended closer Osuna to Astros for Giles, prospects
The Toronto Blue Jays traded suspended star closer Roberto Osuna to the Houston Astros on Monday for right-handed reliever Ken Giles and minor-league pitchers Hector Perez and David Paulino.
Osuna was arrested and charged with assault May 8 and his next hearing is scheduled for Aug. 1 in Toronto. Osuna's lawyer said in June that his client intends to plead not guilty. Meanwhile, Major League Baseball suspended Osuna for 75 games for violating the league's domestic violence policy, but he is eligible to return Aug. 5 and will be permitted to pitch in the postseason.
"I am excited to join the Houston Astros and move forward with a fresh start to my career," Osuna said, according to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. "The positive character of my new teammates is a big reason for their success and I look forward to bringing a positive contribution to this great group of guys as we work towards many more winning seasons. I thank (Astros general manager) Jeff Luhnow and the entire Astros organization for believing in me - I will not let them down."
The 23-year-old Osuna is one of the best young closers in the majors. Over the last three seasons, he owns a 2.99 ERA and 0.92 WHIP, and he's recorded 178 strikeouts over 153 1/3 innings while converting 84 saves. He's arbitration eligible for two more seasons and is set to hit free agency in 2021.
"We are excited to welcome Roberto Osuna to our team," Luhnow said in a statement. "The due diligence by our front office was unprecedented. We are confident that Osuna is remorseful, has willfully complied with all consequences related to his past behavior, has proactively engaged in counseling, and will fully comply with our zero-tolerance policy related to abuse of any kind."
Houston acquired Giles in a 2015 blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Phillies. He's largely served as the Astros' closer since then, but was demoted to Triple-A earlier this month after appearing to swear at manager AJ Hinch upon being removed from a game. As well, Giles' numbers have dipped significantly this season, as he owns a 4.99 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with 31 strikeouts across 30 2/3 innings. Overall, the 27-year-old - who also has two more years of arbitration eligibility remaining before hitting free agency - posted a 3.57 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 61 saves with the Astros.
"We need to get his pitching right," Hinch told reporters about Giles on July 11. "He's had an up-and-down season. He's had signs of things that are good, some bad games, some meltdowns, but we need to get him right - he's not right. We need to get him right mentally and physically to make sure he's a good contributor to our 'pen."
The 24-year-old Paulino was the Astros' No. 23 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. The right-handed starter has posted a 6.25 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 36 innings over the past two seasons in the majors, and owns a 5.50 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in four starts with Triple-A Fresno. He was also issued an 80-game suspension last July after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
Perez was ranked as the No. 10 prospect in Houston's system. The 22-year-old owns a 3.73 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 101 strikeouts in 89 1/3 innings across Double- and Single-A.