Houston Astros assistant general manager Brandon Taubman allegedly directed a profanity-laden rant about his closer, Roberto Osuna, to three female reporters after Game 6 of the American League Championship Series.
According to Sports Illustrated‘s Stephanie Apstein, the confrontation happened as players and coaching staff celebrated their ALCS win over the New York Yankees in the clubhouse on Saturday.
“Thank God we got Osuna! I’m so f—— glad we got Osuna!,” Taubman yelled “half a dozen times,” according to Apstein, just moments after Osuna blew a save and nearly cost the Astros the game.
One of the journalists was allegedly wearing a purple domestic-violence awareness bracelet.
The statement appears to be a reference to the Astros’ July 2018 trade for Osuna, after he was accused of assaulting a woman in Toronto when he still played for the Toronto Blue Jays. Prosecutors later dropped charges as the alleged victim refused to testify and Osuna was suspended by MLB for 75 regular-season games.
Apstein said the team refused to comment or make the assistant GM available for an interview, but the Astros later released a statement saying the story was “misleading and completely irresponsible.”
Houston Chronicle writer Hunter Atkins took to social media to defend Apstein’s allegations following the team’s statement.
Hannah Keyser, a Yahoo Sports reporter, also backed Apstein’s report.
According to Apstein, the “offensive and frightening” interaction was followed by an apology from another Astros employee.
