Major League Baseball has suspended Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Odúbel Herrera for the rest of the season for violating Major League Baseball’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.
Herrera won’t appeal. His unpaid suspension will be retroactive to June 24 and will cover 85 regular season games and any postseason games that his club may play in 2019.
“Having reviewed all of the available evidence, I have concluded that Mr. Herrera violated the Policy and should be subject to discipline in the form of an unpaid suspension that will cover the remainder of the 2019 season,” commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement issued Friday.
On Wednesday, domestic violence charges against Herrera were dropped following a hearing at Atlantic City (New Jersey) Municipal Court.
A state prosecutor told reporters that Herrera’s girlfriend did not want to proceed with the case, leading to the decision to dismiss.
Herrera was ordered to complete counseling within 60 days as a condition of the dismissal.
Herrera had been accused of domestic assault against his girlfriend on May 27 at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. Officers said they found the 20-year-old woman with “visible signs of injury to her arms and neck that was sustained after being assaulted by her boyfriend.”
Herrera, 27, had been facing charges of simple assault and knowingly causing bodily injury.
Following the arrest, Herrera was placed on administrative leave by MLB. He has not played for the Phillies since May 26.
“The Phillies fully support the decision by the Commissioner’s Office to suspend Odubel Herrera for violating MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence Policy.,” the team said in a statement. “All instances of domestic violence are abhorrent and unacceptable, and we unequivocally support Baseball’s collective efforts to prevent domestic abuse. We are encouraged by Odubel’s acceptance of his discipline as an indication of his willingness to learn from this and change his behavior.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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