Julio Urias has not appeared in an MLB game since 2023, and that will not be changing any time soon.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced on Friday that the league has completed its investigation into the allegations of domestic violence against the former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Urias. The investigation has found that Urias did indeed violate MLB policy, and he is thus being suspended through the 2025 All-Star break. Urias will be eligible for reinstation 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,” Manfred said in a statement, per ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. “Having reviewed all of the available evidence, I have concluded that Mr. Urías violated our Policy and that discipline is appropriate.”
After an MLS soccer match, Urias, 28, got physical with his girlfriend outside of BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California, in a horrific incident that led to his arrest on domestic abuse charges in September 2023. Urias ran up behind the woman and pushed her against a fence, even swinging at one point before being stopped by onlookers, according to the video of the event.
Days later, MLB put Urias on administrative leave, and he hasn’t made a pitch since. Urias was charged with five misdemeanors by the city attorney’s office, despite the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office deciding in early 2024 not to press any felony charges against him for the incident.In the end, Urias would accept a plea bargain that included community service and probation.
After investigating Urias for almost a year, MLB decided to officially suspend him through the 2025 All-Star break in July. Urias was also previously suspended for 20 games by Major League Baseball coming from a second arrest in 2019 in which he allegedly slammed a woman to the ground in the parking lot of an upmarket shopping complex. MLB’s decision to formally suspend Urias for more than 80 games was probably influenced by his reputation as a repeat offender.
After the 2023 season, Urias’ contract with the Dodgers expired, and he hasn’t received a new contract offer from any organization since. Given his baggage and his protracted suspension to start 2025, Urias is unlikely to receive another MLB shot at this time. In his most recent complete season, he was 11-8 with a 4.60 ERA and 117 strikeouts across 21 starts.
