Sonstiges » Roberto Osuna will close for the Houston Astros

WEST PALM BEACH Yasmani Grandal Jersey , Fla. (AP) — Roberto Osuna will close for the Houston Astros.“I can pretend and create some false competition, and that doesn’t gain any credibility,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “Transparency goes a long way, and maybe the closer question can be put to rest.”Hinch used Ken Giles, Hector Rondon and Luke Gregerson to finish games during his first four seasons before the Astros acquired Osuna from Toronto last summer.“I think the league has graduated to the point of, you can say somebody’s your closer and use him in the seventh or eighth inning and people don’t freak out,” Hinch said. “It’s amazing how the sport has evolved to where one word doesn’t mean that he has to pitch exactly in that role every single time.”Houston initially eased Osuna into the closer’s role after acquiring him at last season’s trading deadline for Giles, David Paulino and a minor leaguer. The trade occurred just before the end of Osuna’s 75-game suspension under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. Osuna was arrested in May and charged with assault in connection with an alleged domestic incident. The prosecution withdrew the charge in September in exchange for a one-year agreement he stay away from the mother of his child and continue counselling.On the field, Osuna had 21 saves last season, including 12 for the Astros.The 24-year-old Osuna has a fastball that averaged 95 mph last year and also throws a cutter, slider and sinker plus a changeup.“As a closer you need to get people out — it doesn’t matter what you do or how you do it,” Osuna said. “I feel like when you have more weapons and more options, obviously it’s hard for the hitter to know what’s coming.”Entering his fifth season http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-joc-pederson-jersey , the 6-foot-2 right-hander is trying to master a sinker Marcus Stroman taught him while they were teammates in Toronto.“Everybody needs six pitches or seven pitches, so if he adds an extra one, why not?” Hinch joked. “What’s different about him and a lot of back-end relievers is he’ll be able to execute it if he gets the feel or it. If that’s the case it will be another weapon for him.”Osuna took the mound Friday for his first bullpen session with a new bright pink glove.Osuna’s family has a history in baseball. His father, Roberto Sr., pitched nearly two decades in the Mexican League and his uncle, Antonio Osuna, enjoyed an 11-year career in the big leagues, primarily with the Los Angeles Dodgers.He wears the glowing glove to honor his mother, Guadalupe Quintero.“When I was a little kid, my mom was always tossing baseballs to me,” Osuna said. “She’s a big part of it.” MIAMI (AP) — After being held out of the lineup to rest, Brian Anderson was ready when needed.Anderson delivered with a pinch-hit, two-run home run in the seventh inning to help the Miami Marlins beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Saturday night.“It was kind of a reset Clayton Kershaw Jersey ,” Anderson said. “It helps your body, your legs get underneath you. I was relaxed for a day even if I had that one at-bat. I just tried to go in and have a good at bat especially In a situation like that. The pressure is not on me, it’s on the other pitcher.”Anderson delivered his first career pinch-hit home run and the 10th of the season with his shot to left field off Chad Sobotka for a 3-0 lead.“That was huge,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “It’s one of those games you’re walking a tight rope. Anything can happen and you see what happened in the ninth with the leadoff homer. You still had some breathing room.”Dansby Swanson led off the ninth with his 13th home run of the season, cutting the deficit to 3-1 and ending a 21-inning scoreless drought to the Marlins in the series.“We just really haven’t been able to string anything together,” Swanson said. “A combination of that is us not swinging the way we’re capable of, but at the same time there’s obviously a reason for that and I think you can give a little bit of credit where credit is due, and they’ve thrown the ball lately.”Wei-Yin Chen (5-9) struck out 10 over six innings. It was the third time in his career he struck out at least 10.“I felt very consistent out there,” Chen said through a translator. “I still had my command on the pitches in the late innings.”After allowing the homer to Swanson, Drew Steckenrider retired the next three batters to end the game for his second save.Braves starter Anibal Sanchez (6-5) exited with right hamstring tightness after 5 2/3 innings and 98 pitches. Sanchez allowed four hits and one run.“In the hitter I couldn’t push my body to home plate and that’s why I lost my command against the last hitter,” Sanchez said.Sanchez dealt with a hamstring injury earlier in the season causing him to miss 37 games.“When I started to feel something on my hamstring after the injury that I got earlier in the season, after that I tried to take care of it more in between outings and I think one time after Cincinnati–I’m just going to do my best to stay in the game,” Sanchez said. “I don’t want to just get those innings and it happens again.”The Marlins got on the scoreboard in the sixth when Rafael Ortega led off with a triple to right and scored on a sacrifice fly by J.T. Realmuto.SEVEN WITH 10 HOMERSAnderson became the seventh Marlins player to reach double-digits in home runs this season. It is the most players with at least 10 in a season since the 2008 team also had seven.ACUNA STAYING HOTBraves rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. was 2 for 4 and is hitting .340 (32 for 94) in August with 18 extra-base hits.TRAINER’S ROOMBraves: Manager Brian Snitker thought Sanchez’s hamstring issue could be related to dehydration or cramping. “Could be http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-justin-turner-jersey ,” Sanchez said. … The pitching staff could be getting a boost for the stretch run with Brandon McCarthy (knee), Peter Moylan (forearm), Shane Carle (shoulder), and Arodys Vizcaino (shoulder) nearing returns. “We’ve got guys that should be back that are going to be big for us,” Snitker said.Marlins: OF Lewis Brinson (hip) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A New Orleans. … OF Garrett Cooper (wrist) had a setback in a rehab appearance and has returned to Miami for further evaluation possibly ending his season.UP NEXTBraves: RHP Kevin Gausman (8-9, 3.99 ERA) is scheduled to start Sunday’s series finale. Gausman has won his last three starts posting a 1.23 ERA.Marlins: RHP Pablo Lopez (2-3, 4.42) allowed six runs, five earned, over 5 1/3 innings in his only start against the Braves on Aug. 13.