Sources: Urias to be reinstated, rejoin Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías will be reinstated from administrative leave following a domestic-violence arrest after Major League Baseball did not obtain a security video that allegedly showed the incident, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN.
Urías, 22, was arrested May 13 after an alleged altercation with a woman in a parking lot of a Los Angeles shopping mall. The left-hander is expected to rejoin the Dodgers on Tuesday.
MLB and the MLB Players Association agreed to place Urías on paid administrative leave pending the league’s review of the video, sources said. Mall officials in possession of the video declined to give it to MLB, and while the league could have pursued a seven-day extension of administrative leave, the union and Urías would not have consented and could have filed a grievance, per the jointly negotiated domestic-violence policy.
The league’s investigation into Urías remains open, according to sources. Prosecutors have yet to file charges against Urías, and the Los Angeles Police Department still has not released an incident report.
The severity of any potential punishment will depend upon the level of evidence MLB gathers in its investigation. Suspensions under the domestic-violence policy have ranged from 15 to 100 games. Two investigations, into Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig and Minnesota Twins third baseman Miguel Sanó, did not lead to discipline.
The Dodgers, who declined comment through a spokesman, are required to abide by the jointly negotiated rules and cannot levy discipline on Urías or keep him from returning to their roster. Los Angeles in 2015 ended its pursuit of closer Aroldis Chapman after a report of a domestic issue that led to a 30-game suspension
Urías, who debuted with the Dodgers at 19 years old, has started four games this season, pitched in relief in five and posted a 3.02 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 28⅓ innings.