Toronto Blue Jays still consider Roberto Osuna their closer

The Toronto Blue Jays are not concerned with their bullpen, as Roberto Osuna will remain their closer once he is eligible to return from suspension.

Prior to his 75 game suspension for violating the MLB domestic violence policy, Toronto Blue Jays reliever Roberto Osuna had established himself as one of the best young closers in the game. At just 23 years old, he had already made an All Star appearance, and racked up 104 saves in his career. The sky appeared to be the limit, until his suspension brought his future into question.

However, the Blue Jays seemingly do not have any qualms regarding Osuna, or his future with the ballclub. According to general manager Ross Atkins, once Osuna is eligible to return to the team, he will resume his role in the ninth inning, taking over once again as Toronto’s closer.

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From a pure baseball standpoint, this assertion makes sense. Osuna has been one of the better closers in the game, posting a 2.87 ERA and a 0.919 WHiP, striking out 253 batters against only 40 walks in his 223 major league innings. If Osuna is right, and his anxiety issues are in check, he has the potential to become one of the better closers that the game has seen.

However, despite the statement by Atkins, one has to wonder whether or not Osuna will actually pitch for the Blue Jays again. His suspension is the third longest for domestic violence in MLB history, trailing Hector Olivera and Jose Torres. Olivera never played in the majors again following his suspension, and Torres has essentially been banned for the 2018 season, placed on the restricted list prior to Spring Training.

For all of the troubles that the Blue Jays have had this season, one could argue that they do not miss Osuna. The triumvirate of Ryan Tepera, Tyler Clippard, and Seunghwan Oh has been relatively solid, although they are not the same type of pitcher that Osuna has been. However, if Osuna looks good during his minor league stint prior to being reinstated, it may not be a surprise to see his name on the trade block.

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Right now, the Toronto Blue Jays are saying that Roberto Osuna will be their closer when he is eligible to return from suspension. At least, that is their plan for now.