The Astros are preparing for Game 1 of the World Series, but aren’t doing it without some controversy surrounding their assistant general manager.
Not long after Houston punched its ticket to the Fall Classic with a thrilling walk-off win in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees, Brandon Taubman reportedly directed some questionable comments toward three female reporters.
In an article published by Sports Illustrated’s Stephanie Apstein on Monday night, she wrote about her experience in the Astros’ clubhouse during their celebration.
“And in the center of the room, assistant general manager Brandon Taubman turned to a group of three female reporters, including one wearing a purple domestic-violence awareness bracelet, and yelled, half a dozen times, ‘Thank God we got Osuna! I’m so f—— glad we got Osuna!'”
Osuna was accused of domestic assault in May 2018 while he was a member of the Toronto Blue Jays. The pitcher was traded to Houston that July and was suspended for 75 games under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. The charge was dropped that September.
The Astros released a statement claiming Apstein’s story was “misleading and completely irresponsible” before Taubman released his own statement apologizing if he offended anyone with his actions.
Astros manager A.J. Hinch was asked about the incident ahead of Game 1 at Minute Maid Park against the Washington Nationals.
Here is Hinch’s full quote, per The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan:
“I didn’t know until the story came out and I read it about the same time a lot of people did,” he said, per The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan. “You know, obviously my reaction, I’m very disappointed for a lot of reasons. It’s unfortunate. It’s uncalled for. For me as a leader in this organization down here in the clubhouse, on the field, I take everything that happens in the clubhouse to heart.
“No one, it doesn’t matter if it’s a player, a coach, a manager, any of you members of the media, should ever feel like when you come into our clubhouse that you’re going to be uncomfortable or disrespected. So I wasn’t there. I don’t know to the extent of what happened. I read, like everybody. I haven’t talked to every single person in the organization, as you would expect. I’ve been knee-deep in the Washington Nationals.
“But I think we all need to be better across the board, in the industry. I understand why it’s a question today and I appreciate it. But I was disappointed.”
