Phillies CF Herrera suspended for rest of season

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Odubel Herrera was suspended for the remainder of the 2019 season without pay for violating Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy. Herrera's suspension will include the postseason should the Phillies qualify. The ban is retroactive to June 24.

MLB said that Herrera agreed not to appeal the discipline, which is related to a May 27 incident in Atlantic City, N.J. The legal charges against Herrera were dismissed earlier this week. "My office has completed its investigation into the allegations that Odubel Herrera violated Major League Baseball's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. "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."

Herrera also agreed to participate in a comprehensive evaluation and treatment program, according to MLB. The Phillies agreed with the discipline handed down to the 27-year-old center fielder.

"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 and abuse 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 appropriately." Herrera was accused of domestic assault by his girlfriend, 20-year-old Melany Martinez-Angulo, at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino. Officers noted "visible signs of injury to her arms and neck that was sustained after being assaulted by her boyfriend."

Herrera was facing charges of simple assault and knowingly causing bodily injury. However, the charges were dropped on Wednesday in Atlantic City Municipal Court when Martinez-Angulo told Judge Billie J. Moore through an interpreter that she didn't want to press charges and hadn't been pressured into that decision. Herrera and Martinez-Angulo declined comment when leaving the courthouse.

Police arrested Herrera after the casino incident, and MLB placed him on paid administrative leave the next day while it investigated. The paid leave was changed to a suspension on Friday. Herrera played in 39 games before his arrest, batting .222 with one homer and 16 RBIs. He was an All-Star in 2016 when he batted .286 with a career-high 25 stolen bases.

--Field Level Media

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