Major League Baseball has announced that free agent left-hander Julio Urías has been suspended through the 2025 All-Star break. He will be reinstated from the restricted list on July 17. “The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball has completed its investigation into allegations that free agent pitcher Julio Urías violated Major League Baseball’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy,” commissioner Rob Manfred says in the league statement. “Having reviewed all of the available evidence, I have concluded that Mr. Urías violated our Policy and that discipline is appropriate.” Urías becomes the first player to receive a second suspension for a violation of this policy.
In September of 2023, Urías was arrested and charged with felony domestic violence charges. An alleged altercation occurred outside BMO Stadium in downtown Los Angeles following a Major League Soccer game between LAFC and Inter Miami. Law enforcement obtained civilian video of the incident, which appeared to show Urías in a physical altercation with a woman. He was booked and released on a $50K bond. A member of the Dodgers at that time, he was placed on administrative leave shortly thereafter. He became a free agent at the end of the 2023 season.
In December of that year, it was reported that law enforcement official had completed their investigation and turned their findings over to the L.A. County District Attorney’s office to determine whether charges would be filed. In January of 2024, it was reported that no felony charges would be filed, with the investigation forwarded to the L.A. City Attorney’s Office to determine whether misdemeanor charges are warranted.
In April, he was charged with five misdemeanors: spousal battery, two counts of domestic battery involving dating relationship, one count of false imprisonment and one count of assault. In May, he pleaded no contest to one domestic battery charge, with the other charges dropped as a condition of his plea. At that time, the L.A. City Attorney’s office said that Urias would be placed on 36 months of probation, complete 30 days of community service, complete a year-long domestic violence counseling program, pay a fee to a domestic violence fund, pay restitution to the victim and abide by a protective order, in addition to being forbidden from possessing any weapons.
As mentioned, Urías is the first player to best twice suspended for violations of the domestic violence policy. In 2019, he was arrested after after reportedly shoving a female companion to the ground. The Los Angeles City Attorney ultimately deferred prosecution in that matter, conditional on Urías completing a 52-week domestic violence counseling program, among other criteria. Under the joint domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse policy agreed to by Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association, the league can impose discipline even in the absence of charges and Urías ultimately received a 20-game suspension.
Photo courtesy Orlando Ramirez, Imagn Images.
