Roberto Osuna

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Osuna and the second or maternal family name is Quintero.
Roberto Osuna

Osuna with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2016
Toronto Blue Jays – No. 54
Pitcher
Born: (1995-02-07) February 7, 1995
Juan José Ríos, Sinaloa, Mexico
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 8, 2015, for the Toronto Blue Jays
MLB statistics
(through April 29, 2016)
Win–loss record 1–6
Earned run average 2.59
Strikeouts 86
WHIP 0.91
Saves 26
Teams

Roberto Osuna Quintero (born February 7, 1995) is a Mexican professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). Osuna was signed by the Blue Jays out of Mexico as a 16-year-old, and played 3 seasons in their minor league organization. On April 8, 2015, he became the youngest pitcher to appear in a game for the organization,[1] and the first player born in 1995 to play in Major League Baseball.

Professional career

Minor league career

Osuna made his professional baseball debut with the Diablos Rojos del México of the Mexican League in 2011. In 13 appearances totaling 192⁄3 innings, he pitched to a 0–1 record, 5.49 earned run average (ERA), and 12 strikeouts.[2] In August 2011, Osuna was acquired by the Blue Jays for $1.5 million.[3] He began the 2012 season with the Bluefield Blue Jays of the Appalachian League, but was promoted to the Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League after posting a 1–0 record with a 1.50 earned run average in 7 appearances (4 starts).[2] He made his Canadians debut on July 28, 2012, striking out a franchise-record 13 batters over 5 innings pitched.[4][5] In total, Osuna pitched 432⁄3 innings in 2012, and posted a 2–0 record, 2.27 ERA, and 49 strikeouts.[2]

On January 29, 2013, Osuna was ranked 90th on MLB's Top 100 Prospects list.[6] He started the 2013 season with the Class-A Lansing Lugnuts of the Midwest League. On May 9, 2013, it was announced that Osuna had torn his ulnar collateral ligament, an injury that usually requires Tommy John surgery.[7][8] He met with Dr. James Andrews, and was advised to rest and rehab the injury, rather than undergo surgery. Osuna returned from the disabled list on June 9, 2013, and pitched 5 shutout innings for Lansing.[9] Despite his attempt to rehab his elbow, Osuna underwent Tommy John surgery in late June.[10] On July 26, he was ranked 58th on MLB's revised Top 100 Prospects list, and the number 2 prospect in the Blue Jays organization.[11][12]

Osuna made his first rehab appearance since the procedure on July 8, 2014, and pitched 1 inning for the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays.[13] He was then promoted to the High-A Dunedin Blue Jays and made 7 starts before the end of the season, posting a 0–2 record, a 6.55 ERA, and 30 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched.[2] In the 2015 preseason prospect rankings, he was named the number 6 prospect in the Blue Jays organization by MLB.[14]

Major league career

Osuna celebrates his 20th save of the 2015 season with Russell Martin

Osuna was invited to spring training in 2015 as a non-roster invitee.[15] While initially not expecting to have any chance at making the major league team out of camp, Osuna impressed Blue Jays management through the first half of the spring. On March 22, he started a game against the Tampa Bay Rays and pitched 32⁄3 scoreless innings.[16][17] After Steve Delabar was optioned to minor league camp on March 26, it was reported that Osuna would likely make the Opening Day roster as a reliever.[18] His position on the roster was confirmed on March 31.[19][20] Osuna made his Major League debut in a game against the New York Yankees on April 8, 2015, striking out Alex Rodriguez and getting Stephen Drew to flyout.[21] In making his debut, Osuna became the youngest pitcher to appear in a Major League game for Toronto, at 20 years and 60 days old.[1] Through the first month of the season, Osuna became the most reliable arm in the bullpen for the Blue Jays, posting a 1.38 ERA through his first 10 appearances.[22] He earned his first win on May 18, pitching 12⁄3 scoreless innings in a 10–6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In doing so, Osuna became the youngest pitcher to earn a win for the Blue Jays, at 20 years and 100 days old.[23] He earned his first career save on June 22, closing out an 8–5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.[24] On August 7, Osuna became the youngest player in MLB history to record an extra-innings save, when he closed out a 2–1 win over the New York Yankees in the tenth inning.[25] Osuna finished the 2015 regular season with a 1–6 record, 20 saves, 2.58 ERA, and 75 strikeouts in 692⁄3 innings pitched.[26]

In the 2015 American League Division Series, Osuna recorded a five-out save in the fifth and final game, and in doing so became the youngest pitcher in American League history to record a save in the postseason, as well as the second-youngest to do so in MLB history, behind Don Gullett in 1970.[27] Osuna pitched in 4 of the 5 ALDS games, and did not allow a baserunner in 52⁄3 innings pitched.[26] He finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year, receiving two second-place votes and two third-place votes.[28]

During the offseason, the Blue Jays acquired Washington Nationals reliever Drew Storen, who had been their closer for part of the 2015 season. After a tight competition between Osuna and Storen for the closer's role in spring training, manager John Gibbons announced on March 30 that Osuna would begin the season as the Blue Jays closer.[29] He earned his first save of the season on April 3 (Opening Day), sealing a 5–3 win for Marcus Stroman. At the age of 21 years, 56 days, he became the youngest pitcher in MLB history to record an Opening Day save.[30]

Personal life

At the age of 12, Osuna quit school to help support his family,[31] picking vegetables with his father, also named Roberto, who pitched in the Mexican League for 22 seasons and taught him to pitch after work.[32][33] Osuna's uncle, Antonio, pitched in Major League Baseball for 11 seasons, mostly with the Los Angeles Dodgers.[34]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Fidlin, Ken (April 8, 2015). "Blue Jays manager John Gibbons sees value in young reliever Roberto Osuna". torontosun.com. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Roberto Osuna Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  3. ↑ Matte, Kyle (August 11, 2012). "The Upheaval of Roberto Osuna". JaysJournal.com. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Sweet 17! Roberto Osuna Stellar in Vancouver Canadians Debut". BlueBirdBanter.com. July 29, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
  5. ↑ Badler, Ben (July 28, 2012). "Roberto Osuna Strikes Out 13 In Northwest League Debut". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  6. ↑ Fordin, Spencer (January 29, 2013). "Sanchez, Osuna named to Top 100 Prospects list". MLB.com. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  7. ↑ Chisholm, Gregor (May 10, 2013). "Prospect Osuna may need Tommy John surgery". MLB.com. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Roberto Osuna has torn UCL in right elbow, may require Tommy John surgery". BlueBirdBanter.com. May 9, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  9. ↑ Chisholm, Gregor; Cahill, Teddy (June 10, 2013). "Top prospect Osuna returns from disabled list". MLB.com. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  10. ↑ Torres Bujanda, Carlos (November 4, 2014). "Highly touted Blue Jays prospect Roberto Osuna bounces back from Tommy John surgery". thestar.com. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  11. ↑ Chisholm, Gregor (July 26, 2013). "Pitching remains strength in Blue Jays system". MLB.com. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  12. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (July 26, 2013). "2013 Prospect Watch". MLB.com. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  13. ↑ Cahill, Teddy (July 8, 2014). "Toronto's No.2 prospect returns from TJ surgery". MLB.com. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  14. ↑ "MLB 2015 Prospect Watch". MLB.com. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  15. ↑ Dakers, Tom (February 21, 2015). "Your quick guide to Blue Jays pitchers coming to spring training". bluebirdbanter.com. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  16. ↑ Chisholm, Gregor (March 22, 2015). "Osuna, Castro showing promise with scoreless spring". MLB.com. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Young pitching dazzles in Blue Jays’ win vs Rays". Sportsnet. March 22, 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  18. ↑ Chisholm, Gregor (March 26, 2015). "Castro, Osuna likely to make team". MLB.com. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  19. ↑ Chisholm, Gregor (April 1, 2015). "Blue Jays prospects Castro, Osuna earn bullpen spots". MLB.com. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  20. ↑ Nicholson-Smith, Ben (March 31, 2015). "Jays to open season with Castro, Osuna in bullpen". Sportsnet. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  21. ↑ Davidi, Shi (April 8, 2015). "Questions surface around Jays’ bullpen in loss". Sportsnet. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  22. ↑ Elliott, Bob (May 3, 2015). "Having too many rookies hurt the Jays". torontosun.com. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  23. ↑ Wilner, Mike (May 18, 2015). "Blue Jays’ outburst covers up another tough start". Sportsnet. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Blue Jays lean on HRs, Osuna in win over Rays". Sportsnet. June 22, 2015. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Sportsnet Stats on Twitter". Twitter. August 7, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  26. 1 2 "Roberto Osuna Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  27. ↑ Ross, Jamie (October 14, 2015). "Youth is served: Blue Jays arms come up big". MLB.com. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  28. ↑ "2015 AL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year". bbwaa.com. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  29. ↑ Davidi, Shi (March 30, 2016). "Roberto Osuna named closer as Blue Jays reveal opening day roster". Sportsnet. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  30. ↑ Allison, Alexis (April 3, 2016). "Marcus Stroman shines, Blue Jays offence picks up where it left off". cbc.ca. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  31. ↑ Lott, John (March 27, 2015). "The unlikely rise of rookie Toronto Blue Jays pitchers Roberto Osuna and Miguel Castro". news.nationalpost.com. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  32. ↑ Davidi, Shi (March 14, 2015). "Osuna Readies For Post-Surgery Career". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  33. ↑ Nunez, Eric (October 11, 2015). "Blue Jays' Roberto Osuna goes from picking vegetables to closer with Toronto". ctvnews.ca. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  34. ↑ Davis, Charles (June 29, 2012). "Premature Excitation: Toronto Blue Jays RHP Roberto Osuna". RantSports.com. Retrieved August 24, 2012.

External links

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