Worth the baggage?
A look at what Osuna brings to the Astros from a baseball perspective
Grayson Skweres
Jul 30, 2018, 6:30 pm
Roberto Osuna from a baseball perspective is a great addition. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
The Houston Astros acquired Toronto Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna via trade on Monday afternoon. Going to Toronto will be Ken Giles, David Paulino, and Hector Perez. Almost all of these players aside from Perez come with baggage. Giles punched himself in the face, then cursed his manager out on the field a few months later, earning him a one-way ticket to AAA. Paulino was suspended last season for PED use. However, neither Giles or Paulino have anywhere near the baggage that Osuna does, who was suspended 75 games for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy.
People are understandably upset, but before we get to that let’s take a look at the baseball reasons behind acquiring Osuna.
Osuna is one of the most promising young arms in baseball. The 23-year-old made the all-star game last season, and in his three seasons has already amassed over 100 saves, has a career ERA of 2.87, and has a career K/9 of 10.2 comparing to a 1.2 BB/9. Essentially, he’s elite.
The stuff looks equally as elite. He has a fastball that sits 95-96 that he runs up to 98, and a devastating wipeout slider in the 87-88 range. Speaking purely from a baseball perspective, the Astros just acquired that shutdown closer that everyone has been pining for since 2015.
Unfortunately, baseball isn’t the only question here. Osuna was arrested on May 8th on suspicion of assaulting a woman. Major League Baseball reviewed the facts of the case, and ultimately suspended Osuna for 75 games, retroactive to May 8th. His suspension comes to an end on Aug. 4, meaning he could possibly be donning an Astros uniform by the end of the week.
“My office has completed its investigation into the allegation that Roberto Osuna violated Major League Baseball’s Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse Policy on May 8, 2018. Having reviewed all of the available evidence, I have concluded that Mr. Osuna violated the Policy and should be subject to discipline in the form of an unpaid suspension that will expire on August 4th,” Manfred said via press release.
People are upset with Jeff Luhnow and the Houston Astros for acquiring someone with that sort of baggage, but here’s what the Astros have to say.
“We are excited to welcome Roberto Osuna to our team,” said Luhnow. “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. Roberto has some great examples of character in our existing clubhouse that we believe will help him as he and his family establish a fresh start as he continues with the Houston Astros. We look forward to Osuna’s contributions as we head into the back half of the season.”
Osuna also released a statement following the trade.
“I am excited to join the Houston Astros and move forward with a fresh start to my career,” said Osuna. “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 Jeff Luhnow and the entire Astros organization for believing in me — I will not let them down.”
I do not condone violence or domestic violence in any way, and I understand everyone that is upset with the Astros for acquiring a player with this back story. At the same time, I love a good redemption story, and I hope Osuna proves he is worth the second chance. He also hasn’t been to court and hasn’t been convicted of a crime yet.
I would hate to be judged by the worst thing I’ve ever said or ever done, and I’m sure everyone reading this feels that same way. Unfortunately for Osuna, what’s probably the worst thing he’s ever done has played out where everyone can see.
Osuna is also a troubled soul who has admitted to issues with mental illness and anxiety in the past. Last season, Osuna took time away from baseball to address anxiety and depression issues. He said he was unhappy and that he never wanted to feel like that again.
I hope Osuna truly does feel sorry for what he’s done, and I hope he grows from this experience and never does it again. However, I also hope Osuna comes to Houston and experiences great success, overcomes his mental health issues, and is a happy human being. At the end of the day, we all deserve to be happy.
Osuna’s court date is Aug. 1. He has been in AAA on a rehab assignment. He hasn’t allowed a run in six innings pitched across three different minor league levels.
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It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have 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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