Julio Urias, shown here with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is facing five misdemeanors for allegedly assaulting his wife outside an LAFC soccer game in 2023. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias has been charged with five misdemeanors stemming from a domestic violence incident with his wife at a soccer game in September 2023.
The charges, filed in Superior Court by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office, are one count of spousal battery, one count of false imprisonment, one count of assault and two counts of domestic battery involving dating relationship, according to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez.
Urias is currently a free agent, and a report by Venezuelan outlet Meridiano.net indicated that the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol will not approve a contract for Urias in the wake of the new charges, citing a post on X by Mexican sports journalist David Faitelson.
Ante la tipificación de delitos para Julio Urías, la Liga Mexicana de Béisbol no le abrirá las puertas para una posible incorporación…
— David Faitelson (@DavidFaitelson_) April 9, 2024
A native of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, Urias was arrested on Sept. 3 after an eyewitness reported seeing the pitcher get into a physical altercation with his wife outside BMO Stadium following a soccer game between LAFC and Inter Miami. He was arrested for suspicion of corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant and released the following morning after posting $50,000 bail.
Four of the five charges pending against Urias carry a maximum of one year in the Los Angeles County jail, while the simple assault charge carries a maximum of six months’ jail time.
Urias was previously suspended for 20 games by Major League Baseball in August 2019 after he was arrested for suspicion of misdemeanor domestic battery. He was not charged.
Major League Baseball is reportedly investigating the recent incident involving Urias, and will likely let the criminal process play out before issuing a suspension.
Urias is scheduled to be arraigned on the five charges on May 2.