MLB's probe into Astros, Taubman to continue beyond World Series

Major League Baseball's investigation into the Houston Astros following former assistant general manager Brandon Taubman's profane tirade directed at three female journalists will not be completed until after the World Series, according to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle.

The league is planning to look into "aspects that go beyond" Taubman's conduct.

"I would say that there are a variety of issues," commissioner Rob Manfred said Friday. "I’m not going to narrow it to the (original) statement or any of those. We’re going to continue to review the situations, have conversations with (Astros owner) Mr. (Jim) Crane, but it’s one thing to come in and investigate for 24 hours a specific incident, but the rest of it is going to take a little more time."

While Manfred said the Astros "reacted quickly and in an appropriate way" to fire Taubman in the wake of the incident, he acknowledged that the current investigation began due to concerns surrounding how the team reacted to the initial story. The Astros falsely claimed Sports Illustrated reporter Stephanie Apstein fabricated Taubman's clubhouse behavior.

Astros GM Jeff Luhnow met with Apstein on Friday. Apstein requested a retraction of the club's false statement, but Luhnow did not commit to one, according to Ben Strauss of the Washington Post.

Apstein reported that Taubman targeted three female reporters in the clubhouse and repeatedly shouted, "Thank God we got Osuna! I'm so f------ glad we got Osuna!" after the Astros clinched the ALCS in Game 6. One of those reporters was wearing an anti-domestic violence purple bracelet.

Closer Roberto Osuna was acquired via trade from the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018 as he was serving a 75-game suspension for violating the league's domestic violence policy.