Astros solidify their bullpen, while also taking on the baggage of Roberto Osuna

Late this afternoon, the Astros traded a former top prospect for another. Ken Giles, who’s struggles for the Astros go way before last year’s World Series win, has been shipped up north to Toronto.

The return? Roberto Osuna, the Blue Jays’ dynamic reliever.

Let’s talk about the positives before we get to the ugly stuff.

A fireball pitcher; the 23 year old Osuna became a true stopper for the Blue Jays in his short stint with the team. Since 2015, Osuna has saved 104 games, with 39 in 2017. His career ERA is 2.87 and he has struck out 253 batters, while only walking 40 in 221 games. He is certainly a step up from Giles, who has a 4.99 ERA this season to go along with an ugly 11.74 ERA in the postseason last year.

Now let’s get to the real, out of baseball truth. There weren’t many teams looking to grab Osuna right away, due to his recent domestic abuse case. If you recall, Osuna was charged with assault on May 8. While he served his time (according to MLB standards) with a 75 game suspension, that is not the point.

One small tidbit: he is eligible for the postseason.

When the Dodgers balked on picking up Aroldis Chapman from the Reds, the Yankees swooped right on in to take him. Knowing his history, the idea to win a title was the one thing on the teams mind. The same could be said for Jose Reyes returning to the Mets. Due to nostalgia or the idea of winning, skill over personal life seemed to matter the most.

As with the Yankees' decision to trade for Aroldis Chapman at the time that went down: The Astros must fully own their choice to take Roberto Osuna, no matter what details emerge in his case. They cannot hide behind 'We didn't know.'

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 30, 2018

Obviously, the Astros must address these issues, which they are well aware of. How it is handled will be extremely interesting, especially after they’ve already dealt with Yuli Gurriel and his controversy last season.

Is accepting the baggage that comes with a player like Osuna worth the price of winning? In sports, it is the norm. You may not have to accept it and it may not be right, but the Astros filled a role they desperately needed. Business is as business does.