Roberto Osuna had his charges dropped. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
This afternoon we learned that the charges of domestic violence against Astros’ closer Roberto Osuna were dropped. Here are the statements issued:
"The Astros remain committed to increase our support regarding the issues of domestic violence and abuse of any kind," the statement continued. "We have engaged with a number of local, state and national organizations -- and we look forward to working with them in the short term and over the long term."- Houston Astros
"I am pleased and relieved by today's court decision. Now I can begin to put these allegations behind me and focus on baseball. I want to thank my family, teammates and fans for believing in me. I am grateful to the Astros for providing me with the opportunity to play baseball and compete for a World Series championship. I will make no further comments about this matter, as I plan on moving past this and look only to the future."- Roberto Osuna
Feelings and emotions run very hot on this topic. Some feel as if this changes nothing because we will never know what truly happened and the extremists on both sides will always politicize their point of view. Some feel as if the Astros are being fake with their statement because of they had a zero-tolerance policy, then about faced and support of Osuna after trading for him. Some say it is what it is and that this is par for the course in domestic violence cases, except that Canadian laws prevent us from ever knowing the actual facts of the incident. Some are indifferent, yet upset the team attached themselves to a guy like Osuna. They could have understood standing by Altuve or Springer, but not a guy known for domestic violence before they traded for him. However, the fact that charges were brought up after the arrest means something happened, but again, we’ll never know.
As a father, husband, brother, son, etc, I have mixed emotions. On one hand, I feel he deserves a second chance just like anyone else that does dumb stuff. On the other hand, I wish he had gone to trial and gotten whatever punishment he deserved.
This issue of domestic violence unfortunately won’t ever go away. Neither will false accusations. But let’s not turn a blind eye to it because every situation is different and should be handled as such. The Astros made a move they felt would help them win. The fact that Osuna’s charges got dropped helps grease the skids. It feels like falling off a speeding motorcycle, except they wore a helmet, gloves, and a protective riding jacket. So the Astros won’t need skin grafts or too many stitches, but they will have broken bones, concussion, and a heavily bruised ego.
This couldn’t have worked out better for them. They will take a public relations hit, maybe even some monetary hit, but it won’t be enough to discourage them. Hell, they may even have to do more domestic violence activism than they’re currently doing. The only way it works out even better for the Astros is if Osuna goes on to record the final out in a World Series clinching game. But even then, will it have been worth it? More importantly, will the fans that were totally turned off by the whole deal be more accepting of the team and/or Osuna? I hope we get to see that moment because I’m dying to find out…and celebrate another Astros World Series win.
What looked like a minor blip after an emotional series win in Los Angeles has turned into something more concerning for the Houston Astros.
Swept at home by a Guardians team that came in riding a 10-game losing streak, the Astros were left looking exposed. Not exhausted, as injuries, underperformance, and questionable decision-making converged to hand Houston one of its most frustrating series losses of the year.
Depth finally runs dry
It would be easy to point to a “Dodger hangover” as the culprit, the emotional peak of an 18-1 win at Chavez Ravine followed by a mental lull. But that’s not the story here.
Houston’s energy was still evident, especially in the first two games of the series, where the offense scored five or more runs each time. Including those, the Astros had reached that mark in eight of their last 10 games heading into Wednesday’s finale.
But scoring isn’t everything, not when a lineup held together by duct tape and desperation is missing Christian Walker and Jake Meyers and getting critical at-bats from Cooper Hummel, Zack Short, and other journeymen.
The lack of depth finally showed. The Astros, for three days, looked more like a Triple-A squad with Jose Altuve and a couple big-league regulars sprinkled in.
Cracks in the pitching core
And the thing that had been keeping this team afloat, elite pitching, finally buckled.
Hunter Brown and Josh Hader, both dominant all season, finally cracked. Brown gave up six runs in six innings, raising his pristine 1.82 ERA to 2.21. Hader wasn’t spared either, coughing up a game-losing grand slam in extra innings that inflated his ERA from 1.80 to 2.38 in one night.
But the struggles weren’t isolated. Bennett Sousa, Kaleb Ort, and Steven Okert each gave up runs at critical moments. The bullpen’s collective fade could not have come at a worse time for a team already walking a tightrope.
Injury handling under fire
Houston’s injury management is also drawing heat, and rightfully so. Jake Meyers, who had been nursing a calf strain, started Wednesday’s finale. He didn’t even make it through one pitch before aggravating the injury and needing to be helped off the field.
No imaging before playing him. No cautionary rest despite the All-Star break looming. Just a rushed return in a banged-up lineup, and it backfired immediately.
Second-guessing has turned to outright criticism of the Astros’ medical staff, as fans and analysts alike wonder whether these mounting injuries are being made worse by how the club is handling them.
Pressure mounts on Dana Brown
All eyes now turn to Astros GM Dana Brown. The Astros are limping into the break with no clear reinforcements on the immediate horizon. Only Chas McCormick is currently rehabbing in Sugar Land. Everyone else? Still sidelined.
Brown will need to act — and soon.
At a minimum, calling up top prospect Brice Matthews makes sense. He’s been mashing in Triple-A (.283/.400/.476, 10 HR, .876 OPS) and could play second base while Jose Altuve shifts to left field more regularly. With Mauricio Dubón stretched thin between shortstop and center, injecting Matthews’ upside into the infield is a logical step.
*Editor's note: The Astros must be listening, Matthews was called up Thursday afternoon!
The Astros are calling up Brice Matthews, their top prospect on @MLBPipeline
via @brianmctaggart pic.twitter.com/K91cGKkcx6
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 10, 2025
There’s also trade chatter, most notably about Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, but excitement has been tepid. His numbers don’t jump off the page, but compared to who the Astros are fielding now, Mullins would be a clear upgrade and a much-needed big-league presence.
A final test before the break
Before the All-Star reset, Houston gets one last chance to stabilize the ship, and it comes in the form of a rivalry series against the Texas Rangers. The Astros will send their top trio — Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, and Hunter Brown — to the mound for a three-game set that will test their resolve, their health, and perhaps their postseason aspirations.
The Silver Boot is up for grabs. So is momentum. And maybe, clarity on just how far this version of the Astros can go.
There's so much more to discuss! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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*ChatGPT assisted.
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