MLB: Osuna can return with domestic violence charge pending
WASHINGTON — Baseball does not have a problem with Toronto Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna returning from a domestic violence suspension while a legal charge could remain pending.
Osuna agreed to a suspension through Aug. 4 under baseball’s domestic violence policy. He has not pitched since May 6, two days before he was put on administrative leave when he was charged with one count of assault in Toronto.
“If in fact the application of that policy results in Roberto coming back to work after a very long suspension while there are still unresolved criminal proceedings, I can live with that result, because that’s the policy we negotiated,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said at the All-Star Game on Tuesday. “You can’t take all the benefits of the policy and then turn around and say, gee, I don’t like the outcome in this case and therefore I’m going to do something else.”
Osuna will wind up missing 89 days, which will cost him about $2.54 million of his $5.3 million salary. He will participate in a confidential and comprehensive evaluation and treatment program supervised by the joint policy board of MLB and the players’ association.