The Los Angeles Dodgers received troubling news in September when Julio Urías was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, which subsequently led to being placed on administrative leave by MLB.
The incident occurred at BMO Stadium after a soccer game between the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) and Inter Miami that drew widespread attention because of Lionel Messi’s presence.
Urías’ 2023 season came to an end with the arrest, and he now faces the possibility of criminal charges and punishment by MLB. The left-hander is a free agent and has yet to receive any reported interest from teams.
That likely is due to an uncertain future, which according to Jack Harris and Richard Winton of the L.A. Times, does not include any indication from the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office as to when a decision may be made for whether or not charges will be filed against Urías:
There is no timeline for the D.A.’s office to decide on charges, according to Blacknell.
Spokesperson Tiffiny Blacknell previously confirmed the district attorney’s office received all material from a completed investigation by law enforcement officials. Included within that is a purported video of the alleged incident.
When addressing Urías’ status during the final month of the regular season, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed his belief the investigation process and reaching a resolution would be a drawn-out process.
The Dodgers quickly distanced themselves from Urías, first by giving his locker in the Dodger Stadium clubhouse to Kolten Wong when he joined the team. That was followed by the Dodgers replacing the Urías World Baseball Classic bobblehead giveaway on their promotional calendar, and having jerseys, t-shirts and other merchandise bearing his name and No. 7 taken out of retail stores and stands throughout Chavez Ravine.
The Dodgers also covered all Dodger Stadium murals featuring Urías, including the 2020 World Series painting in right field of the loge level that features Mookie Betts, Clayton Kershaw and Justin Turner. The mural was updated by artist Jonas Never with Austin Barnes and Will Smith taking the place of Urías.
Julio Urías’ history with domestic violence allegations
Urías was previously arrested in May 2019 on suspicion of domestic battery for an incident at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles. He was put on administrative leave in that instance as well while MLB conducted an investigation.
L.A. prosecutors decided to not press charges against Urías under the conditions he participated in a City Attorney hearing, committed no acts of violence against anyone, and successfully completed a 52-week domestic violence counseling program in person, and in a group setting.
MLB suspended Urías for 20 games, and he did not return to the Dodgers until September of the 2019 season.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
