HOUSTON — Astros assistant general manager Brandon Taubman issued a statement apologizing for using “inappropriate language” after a report in Sports Illustrated said he repeatedly yelled toward a group of female reporters during the team’s celebration after clinching the AL pennant.
His remarks reportedly referenced Houston closer Roberto Osuna, who was suspended for 75 games last season for violating the league’s domestic violence policy before joining the Astros in a trade from Toronto.
According to the Sports Illustrated report, Taubman yelled toward the reporters, ‘Thank God we got Osuna! I’m so f------ glad we got Osuna!’
The Astros denied Monday night that his comments were directed at the reporters. That was before they released a statement from Taubman hours before Game 1 of the World Series.
Astros statement from Brandon Taubman pic.twitter.com/bTERwGkVJF
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) October 22, 2019
Major League Baseball also issued a statement Tuesday concerning the incident, saying it will interview those involved before commenting on the matter any further.
The statement from the league says in part: “everyone in baseball must use care to not engage in any behavior — whether intentional or not — that could be construed as minimizing the egregiousness of an act of domestic violence. We became aware of this incident through the Sports Illustrated article. The Astros have disputed Sports Illustrated’s characterization of the incident.”
