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Astros trade for suspended Blue Jays reliever Roberto Osuna
The Houston Astros acquired suspended reliever Roberto Osuna from the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday in exchange for a package that includes former Astros closer Ken Giles.
Minor league pitchers Hector Perez, 22, and David Paulino, 24, are also headed to Toronto in the deal. Paulino had been Houston's No. 3 prospect, according to MLB.com, prior to his 80-game suspension last season for a PED violation; he has since dropped to No. 23. Perez is the Astros' No. 10 prospect, according to MLB.com.
Osuna, 23, 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 -- a case that remains pending. His next court appearance is Wednesday.
Osuna is 0-0 with nine saves and 15 strikeouts in 15⅓ innings this season, following an All-Star 2017 season in which he went 3-4 with 39 saves and a 3.38 ERA.
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.
Osuna has been the Blue Jays' closer since 2015.
Giles, 27, is 0-2 with 12 saves and a 4.99 ERA in 30⅔ innings this season and was in the minors.
He was optioned to Triple-A Fresno on July 11, a night after the hard-throwing righty appeared to curse at manager A.J. Hinch when he lifted him from the game.
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 postseason. 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 AL Championship Series against the Yankees, and he allowed five runs in a pair of World Series appearances against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Giles entered Game 4 of the World Series in the ninth with the game tied at 1 and allowed all three batters he faced to reach base. Giles took the loss and did not appear again in the series.
Giles has a $4.6 million salary and is eligible for free agency after the 2020 season.
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 rookie-level Gulf Coast League Astros.
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.
Minor league pitchers Hector Perez, 22, and David Paulino, 24, are also headed to Toronto in the deal. Paulino had been Houston's No. 3 prospect, according to MLB.com, prior to his 80-game suspension last season for a PED violation; he has since dropped to No. 23. Perez is the Astros' No. 10 prospect, according to MLB.com.
Osuna, 23, 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 -- a case that remains pending. His next court appearance is Wednesday.
Osuna is 0-0 with nine saves and 15 strikeouts in 15⅓ innings this season, following an All-Star 2017 season in which he went 3-4 with 39 saves and a 3.38 ERA.
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.
Osuna has been the Blue Jays' closer since 2015.
Giles, 27, is 0-2 with 12 saves and a 4.99 ERA in 30⅔ innings this season and was in the minors.
He was optioned to Triple-A Fresno on July 11, a night after the hard-throwing righty appeared to curse at manager A.J. Hinch when he lifted him from the game.
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 postseason. 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 AL Championship Series against the Yankees, and he allowed five runs in a pair of World Series appearances against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Giles entered Game 4 of the World Series in the ninth with the game tied at 1 and allowed all three batters he faced to reach base. Giles took the loss and did not appear again in the series.
Giles has a $4.6 million salary and is eligible for free agency after the 2020 season.
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 rookie-level Gulf Coast League Astros.
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.