The Los Angeles Dodgers have effectively “cut ties” with left-hander Julio Urias, 27, who was a key part of their 2020 World Series victory. With a second domestic violence charge preventing him from returning for the remainder of the season, it appears that his relationship with the Dodgers is over.
Local media outlets, including the Los Angeles Times, reported that Urias’ locker was emptied in the Dodger Stadium clubhouse before the team’s home game against the San Diego Padres on Nov. 12. The spot was taken by veteran infielder Colton Wong, who was called up earlier this month.
“After the Dodgers returned from a six-game road trip, there was no sign of Urias,” the LA Times reported, noting that two large murals featuring Urias at the entrances to Dodger Stadium’s left and right field walkways were removed. The stadium’s merchandise outlets have also been stripped of anything related to Urias. Urias is on administrative leave following his arrest on domestic violence charges on April 4, and the Dodgers are already cutting ties.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was devastated. Before the game, Roberts said of Urias’ locker being removed, “I just found out. It’s an organization-wide decision. It’s really sad on every level,” Roberts said. Asked if this meant the end of the road for Yurias, Roberts said, “I think so,” adding, “There’s not much I can say right now. Like I said on day one, it’s a very unfortunate and sad situation.”
Urias was arrested by Los Angeles police around midnight local time on March 3. He was arrested around 1 a.m. and released on $50,000 bail after being seen getting into a physical altercation with a woman at BMO Field in Los Angeles, where Major League Soccer (MLS) star Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) was visiting. He was charged with felony injury to a spouse, and the case is being investigated by the Secretariat. A court date has been set for Nov. 28.
After the news broke, Urias was immediately removed from the Dodgers’ traveling squad, and Major League Baseball and the Players Association placed him on administrative leave until further notice. The Dodgers have canceled a bobblehead giveaway scheduled for Feb. 22 and are removing all traces of him from their lockers and murals.
Yurias was previously arrested by police in May 2019 for allegedly pushing his girlfriend during an argument at a mall. Although he was not charged after his girlfriend changed her story to say that she “simply tripped,” he was suspended by the governing body for seven days and then 20 games. 굿모닝토토
With such a “prior record,” another domestic violence incident would have been unacceptable to the conservative Dodgers organization. If the charges are confirmed, Urias will be the first player to be disciplined for more than one offense since the labor-management agreement was signed in August 2015 to prevent domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.
Urias, a left-handed pitcher from Mexico, signed with the Dodgers for $1.8 million in August 2012 when he was 16 years old. He was a top prospect the Dodgers kept tabs on from an early age, carefully managing his innings after suffering a shoulder injury in his 2016 debut. After rehabbing, he became a full-time starter in 2019 and shared in the glory of the 2020 World Series victory as the closer.
In his first full season of starts in 2021, he exploded with potential, going 20-3 with a 2.96 ERA and 195 strikeouts in 32 games (185⅔ innings). He followed that up last year with a 17-7 record and 2.16 ERA in 31 games (175 innings), leading the league in that category and finishing third in the Cy Young Award. This year, he entered free agency as a young 27-year-old, but struggled to a 4.60 ERA in 21 games (117 1/3 innings) and faced the biggest crisis of his career with a second domestic violence charge.
With his parting with the Dodgers, where he spent eight years after his rookie year, seemingly inevitable, one wonders which team will reach out to the “troublemaker. Urias is represented by Scott Boras.