Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías was sentenced to 36 months probation and ordered to complete 30 days of community labor after pleading no contest to misdemeanor domestic battery charges. The left-hander faced multiple charges, including spousal battery, domestic battery, false imprisonment, and assault, stemming from his arrest in September on suspicion of domestic violence. In addition to probation and community labor, Urías must complete a 52-week domestic violence counseling course, pay a domestic violence fund fee, not possess weapons, not use force or violence, pay restitution to the victim, and abide by a protective order.
Urías was placed on administrative leave indefinitely by MLB after his arrest outside BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, where he attended a Major League Soccer game. Despite being arrested on felony suspicion of domestic violence, the district attorney’s office determined that neither the victim’s injuries nor Urías’s criminal history justified a felony filing. This incident is not the first time Urías has faced issues related to domestic violence, as he was previously suspended for 20 games in 2019 after being arrested on suspicion of domestic battery, although he was not charged at that time. MLB is continuing to investigate the case, and no player has been suspended twice for violating the league’s domestic violence policy.
During his time with the Dodgers, Urías established himself as a key contributor, finishing in third place in the NL Cy Young Award voting in 2022 with a league-best 2.16 ERA. He also led the majors in wins in the previous year and won a World Series with the team in 2020. However, his career has been marred by off-field issues, including the recent domestic battery charges. The Dodgers have made moves to replace Urías on the roster, signing Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a record-breaking contract and acquiring Tyler Glasnow. They have also signed Shohei Ohtani, who is set to return to the mound in 2025.
In light of these legal issues, Urías’s future in MLB remains uncertain. The league’s investigation into the domestic violence charges will likely have a significant impact on Urías’s career, as MLB has taken a strong stance against domestic violence in recent years. It remains to be seen how the Dodgers and other teams will respond to Urías’s legal troubles and whether he will be able to continue his career in professional baseball. As the investigation continues and more information comes to light, the baseball world will be watching closely to see how this situation unfolds and what consequences it may have for Urías and the league as a whole.
