Former Dodgers Pitcher Julio Urías Sentenced to Probation for Domestic Battery

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías has been sentenced to 36 months probation and ordered to complete 30 days of community labor after pleading no contest to misdemeanor domestic battery.

Julio Urías, a former pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, has been sentenced to 36 months probation and ordered to complete 30 days of community labor after pleading no contest to misdemeanor domestic battery. The charges stemmed from an arrest in September 2023 on suspicion of domestic violence.

As part of his sentence, Urías must also complete a 52-week domestic violence counseling course, pay a domestic violence fund fee, not possess any weapons, not use any force or violence, pay restitution to the victim, and abide by a protective order.

The charges against Urías included one count of spousal battery, two counts of domestic battery involving a dating relationship, one count of false imprisonment, and one count of assault. Four other charges were dropped.

According to a charge evaluation worksheet from the district attorney's office, Urías was arguing with his wife when he "pushed (her) against a fence and pulled her by the hair or shoulders." However, the document said, "Neither the Victim’s injuries nor the Defendant’s criminal history justify a felony filing."

Urias was placed on administrative leave indefinitely by MLB after his arrest outside BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, where he attended a Major League Soccer game. Police were first alerted by a citizen who reported that a man and woman were in a physical altercation. Urias was arrested by Department of Public Safety officers on felony suspicion of domestic violence.

Urias was suspended 20 games in 2019 after he was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery, although he was not charged. MLB continues to investigate the case. No MLB player has been suspended twice for violating the league's domestic violence policy.

Urias spent the first eight seasons of his MLB career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He finished in third place in the NL Cy Young Award voting in 2022 with an NL-best 2.16 ERA. He was seventh the previous year, when he led the majors with 20 wins.

The Mexican-born left-hander pitched to a 4.60 ERA over 21 starts with the Dodgers in 2023. For his career, Urias has a 3.11 ERA over 158 games (122 starts) with an overall record of 60-25 in the regular season.

Urias won a World Series with the Dodgers in 2020.

The Dodgers filled the hole left by Urias' absence by signing Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the richest contract ever given to a pitcher and also trading for Tyler Glasnow. They also inked Shohei Ohtani, who will return to the mound in 2025.