Toronto closer Roberto Osuna has been suspended 75 games without pay over a May assault incident.
Osuna has been on the restricted list since May, and the suspension will be retroactive to that date, meaning he’ll be suspended until August 4th. Rob Manfred issued a statement on the suspension:
Commissioner Manfred announced today that @BlueJays pitcher Roberto Osuna has accepted a suspension without pay through 8/4/18 for violating the Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. The unpaid suspension is retroactive to 5/8/18 and covers 75 games. pic.twitter.com/NettIJlCjw
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) June 22, 2018
My office has completed its investigation into the allegation that Roberto Osuna violated Major League Baseball’s Joint 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.
The Jays also released a statement supporting the commissioner’s decision:
Statement from the Toronto Blue Jays regarding Roberto Osuna pic.twitter.com/Utmt48QSqL
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 22, 2018
There’s not much else to say about the matter as of now, as details remain scarce. But it’s refreshing to see MLB issue another real, legitimate punishment in an instance like this. It wasn’t that long ago that it would have been waved away, and Osuna would have been back pitching a long time ago.
Whether the suspensions go far enough, though, remains up for debate.
