Astros GM Jeff Luhnow: Brandon Taubman's Osuna Comments 'Inappropriate'

Jeff Luhnow broke his silence on Astros assistant GM Brandon Taubman's outburst about Roberto Osuna.

John Glaser-USA TODAY Sports

Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow offered his first comments regarding a clubhouse outburst by assistant general manager Brandon Taubman that was first reported by Sports Illustrated's Stephanie Apstein.

“Brandon has apologized from inappropriate behavior and I think, from my perspective, clearly something happened that he regrets,” Luhnow told SportsTalk 790, according to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. “What we really don’t know is the intent behind the inappropriate comments he made. We may never know that because the person who said them and the people who heard them, at least up to this point, have different perspectives.”

"The situation should have never happened," he added.

Apstein reported that after the Astros beat the Yankees on Saturday to reach the World Series, Taubman turned to three female reporters in the clubhouse and yelled, a half dozen times, “Thank God we got Osuna! I’m so f------ glad we got Osuna!”

The comments referred to Astros closer Roberto Osuna, who was acquired in a trade last year while he served a 75-game suspension for domestic violence. Police in Toronto charged Osuna with brutally assaulting the mother of his 3-year-old son. However, the alleged victim returned to her home in Mexico and declined to testify against Osuna, and the charge was later dropped.

One of the reporters present during Taubman's comments was wearing a purple domestic-violence awareness bracelet. 

According to Rome, Luhnow said he will withhold from any further comment until Major League Baseball concludes its investigation into the matter. The league announced on Tuesday that it plans on interviewing the relevant parties, who were present.

The Astros initially issued a statement calling SI's story "misleading and completely irresponsible.” On Tuesday, the team issued an apology from Taubman for using “inappropriate language” and said his comments were "unprofessional." Taubman added he was “sorry if anyone was offended by my actions.”

Sports Illustrated stands by Apstein's reporting, which was corroborated by multiple other outlets.

The Baseball Writers Association of America released a statement demanding that the Astros issue a public apology for falsely accusing Apstein.

Sports Illustrated's Michael McCann examined how MLB could punish the Astros in wake of the incident.