Why was former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías charged with several misdemeanors?

Given the campaign that he had in 2023, it’s hard to understand how the Mexican lefty is still without a contract in MLB, however, if we consider the trouble that he has now found himself in which it must be said stems from his actions last year, then it starts to make sense.

Julio Urías charged in domestic violence incident

According to reports on Tuesday, former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and current free agent, Julio Urías, has been charged with five misdemeanors by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office. The charges, which stem from his arrest in September 2023 include one count of spousal battery, two of domestic battery involving a dating relationship, one of false imprisonment, and one of assault. At the time of his arrest, Urías was placed on administrative leave. It is understood that arraignment has been set for May 2nd, which is curious considering that in January 2024, the Los Angeles District Attorney initially elected against pursuing felony charges for Urías.

Where details are concerned, an ESPN report at the time of the incident indicated that the 27-year-old was accused of having a physical altercation with his wife outside of BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, following a soccer match between Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and LAFC. According to the report, a bystander was able to record the incident on a cellphone. Now, it’s definitely worth noting that this is not the first time Urías has been in trouble for violent behavior. Back in 2019, he was suspended for 20 Games after he was accused of shoving his then-girlfriend to the ground in a parking lot. This is to say that should he be suspended again it will likely be very lengthy given his track record. Do recall that MLB retains the right to punish any player that it deems to be in violation of the Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse Policy, regardless of whether that player has been arrested or found guilty in a court of law.

This of course is a truly disappointing situation, to say the least, when we consider the obvious talent that the left-handed pitcher has. In the eight seasons that he has played in MLB, he has finished in the top 10 of Cy Young Award voting on two occasions, including 2022 when he led the league in earned run average. As things stand, he has not pitched since being placed on administrative leave, and with his contract having expired at the end of last season, he’s now officially a free agent without a team. It remains unclear what the future holds for Urías, but by the looks of things it likely won’t be a place in MLB for quite some time to come.