Former Dodger Julio Urías charged with domestic violence in 2023

On September 3, then-Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías was arrested outside BMO Stadium after an LAFC football game on suspicion of domestic violence. He posted bail and was released, but was placed on administrative leave by MLB on September 6 pending a league investigation.

It was Urías' second arrest and second suspension imposed (the first came in 2019 after a similar incident for which he was not charged); MLB did not specify a length, but he did not make another start for the Dodgers in the 2023 season. Urías was signed on a freelance basis at the end of the year but received no contract offers.

On January 9, the Los Angeles district attorney's office declined to file charges against him, but three months later, on April 9, the city's district attorney's office announced that it would charge him with five misdemeanors: “one count of spousal abuse.” , two counts of…”domestic violence in connection with a dating relationship, one count of false imprisonment and one count of assault.” The arraignment against him is scheduled for May 2nd.

It's not surprising that the Dodgers wanted to stay away from Urías during his free agency, despite the struggles he's had for them since 2020, when he recorded the final out in the Dodgers' World Series victory over the Rays. LA more than compensated for the loss by acquiring Tyler Glasnow and signing Yoshinobu Yamamoto in December, as well as signing James Paxton in January, in addition to the expected returns of Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw later in the season.

If Urías is found guilty of the charges against him, he could face between six months and four and a half years in prison. Even if he is not found guilty, the MLB has its own procedures for disciplining players regardless of formal criminal convictions, which could result in Urías facing a lengthy ban from playing.

The Dodgers have barely said a word about Urías in his absence, and that's likely to continue for the foreseeable future.