Toronto Blue Jays reliever Roberto Osuna pitched in a professional game Saturday for the first time since he was charged with assault two months ago.
Osuna, who’s currently serving a 75-game unpaid suspension handed down by Major League Baseball, pitched one inning for Toronto’s Gulf Coast League team in Dunedin, Fla., on Saturday afternoon, striking out a batter and allowing one hit.
The 23-year-old closer was initially placed on a paid administrative leave that was renewed on a week-to-week basis following his May 8 arrest.
The league imposed the 75-game suspension in late June, retroactive to the date of Osuna’s arrest, saying in a press release he had violated MLB’s policy on domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.
Osuna was eligible to begin playing in the Jays’ minor-league system starting Saturday. He can join the major league team on Aug. 5.
Osuna had his criminal case put over for three weeks at a brief court hearing in Toronto earlier this week.
Basile has said Osuna intends to plead not guilty to the charges, which he says stem from an alleged domestic incident.