Sister confirms coach is back home in Arizona after Monday release
Oswaldo Pirela, a catching coordinator in the San Diego Padres’ minor league system, has been released on bond and reunited with his family in Arizona, his sister said Tuesday. The Padres separately confirmed Tuesday that Pirela is no longer in custody.
Daniela Pirela, Oswaldo’s sister, said her brother returned home Monday following his release. “We are pleased that Oswaldo Pirela has been released on bond and reunited with his family,” the Padres said in a statement. “Out of respect for his privacy and the ongoing matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”
The team did not describe the circumstances of the release, and the reason for his detention and the legal basis for his release on bond have not been publicly disclosed. ICE took Pirela into custody on Aug. 16 at El Paso International Airport during a work trip he had taken to the city.
Pirela, a Venezuelan national who resides in Arizona, had been working for the Padres in a catching coordinator role in the minor league system. The team operates an affiliate in El Paso, the El Paso Chihuahuas, which Pirela was visiting as part of his work duties. He had been in federal custody since Aug. 16 before Monday’s release.
The reason for his detention has not been publicly disclosed by the Padres. The conditions attached to his release on bond have not been publicly disclosed either.