The Toronto Blue Jays traded talented but troubled closer Roberto Osuna to the Houston Astros on Monday.
The Blue Jays received right-handed pitchers Ken Giles, David Paulino and Hector Perez in exchange for Osuna, who has been serving a 75-game suspension for violating MLB's domestic violence policy after being arrested and charged with assault by Toronto police on May 8.
Osuna can return to major-league action on Sunday. His next scheduled court appearance is Wednesday in Toronto.
"This was one (deal) that made sense form a baseball perspective," Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said on a conference call Monday. "Extremely excited about Giles, Perez and Paulino joining the organization. I think for many reasons this deal made sense and it starts with the talent we're acquiring."
OFFICIAL: We've acquired RHP Ken Giles, minor league RHP Hector Perez and minor league RHP David Paulino from the <a href="https://twitter.com/astros?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Astros</a> in exchange for RHP Roberto Osuna. <a href="https://t.co/JG98oa0cXj">pic.twitter.com/JG98oa0cXj</a>
—@BlueJays
Atkins was asked whether having the bad optics of Osuna returning to pitch for the Jays factored in the decision to make the move.
"We do feel a responsibility to the fans and we do feel empathy for the fans and we ultimately work for the fans," he said. "That's how we do our jobs. We are human and it is very difficult for accusations not to influence us in some way.
"Having said that, this made sense for the organization from a baseball perspective."
Astros players Justin Verlander and Lance McCullers Jr. voiced disdain for domestic abusers in March when video leaked of former Astros prospect Danry Vasquez beating his girlfriend. Vasquez was released by Houston following an arrest for the incident in 2016. KRIS-TV in Houston obtained and aired the video, which showed Vasquez, still partly in uniform, hitting his girlfriend in a stairwell at Double-A Corpus Christi's stadium.
"(Middle finger emoji) you man," Verlander tweeted. "I hope the rest of your life without baseball is horrible. You deserve all that is coming your way!"
"This is the reality of domestic violence," McCullers wrote. "It's always brutal, always sickening. We must fight for the victims, video or not. He should be in jail. If you need help, find it. People care."
Statements from Jeff Luhnow and Roberto Osuna <a href="https://t.co/qvLV1UhILW">pic.twitter.com/qvLV1UhILW</a>
—@Chandler_Rome
The 23-year-old native of Mexico, who was recently on a rehab assignment with triple-A Buffalo as he prepared for his return to the majors, had nine saves and a 2.03 earned-run average in 15 appearances with Toronto this season prior to his suspension.
The right-hander has 104 saves in 221 appearances over three-plus seasons with Toronto. He became the youngest pitcher in MLB history to reach 100 saves in the Jays 2-1 win over Baltimore on April 10.
Giles has struggled this season with the Astros, posting 12 saves in 34 appearances with a 4.99 earned-run average. But he was effective in Houston's run to a World Series title last year, with 34 saves and a .230 ERA.
The 27-year-old native of Albuquerque, N.M., pitched one inning of a combined no-hitter as a member Philadelphia Phillies in a 7-0 win over Atlanta on Sept. 1, 2014.
Paulino missed most of the 2017 season as suspended 80 games without pay for testing positive for a performance enhancing substance. He has not pitched at the major-league level this season.
Perez has split time this season between double-A Corpus Christi and single-A Buies Creek.
