Roberto Osuna needed five pitches for a clean inning and a nice on-field impression on his new teammates.
Osuna earned the win in his first appearance with Houston after Marwin Gonzalez hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting the Astros over the San Francisco Giants 3-1 on Monday night.
Osuna (1-0) hadn’t pitch in the majors since May 6 while serving a 75-game suspension for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy. The former Blue Jays closer was arrested and charged with assaulting his girlfriend May 8th in Toronto. Few details have been made public, and the next court date in the case is scheduled for Sept. 5th.
Blue Jays Closer Threw His Girlfriend Down a Set of Stairs via @ItsDeanBlundell https://t.co/PoTuuCe2jq pic.twitter.com/vVnp0wilI8
— SportsGossip.com (@sportsgossip) May 10, 2018
“Being on such a great team with great teammates, it’s easy to forget about the stuff that’s going on off the field,” he said. “Being able to play and help the team win is unbelievable.
“I really like my teammates. They’ve been treating me with a lot of respect. And I’m really comfortable.”
Osuna was acquired from Toronto last Monday in a deal that sent back closer Ken Giles. He became eligible to pitch Sunday, when he met his new teammates and addressed the club for 10 minutes in a closed-door meeting.
A few fans booed when Osuna entered the game in the eighth inning, and he calmly retired the side in order.
“It was a quick look, obviously, with five pitches,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He’s got a good arm. First game back is always important, it’s the next step for him to get incorporated into our games, coming away with the win. A good first impression on the field.”
As long as you can pitch, you’ll get a second chance in the Majors. Pitchers are always needed in the BIGS.