Neither the sport nor the athlete are above the law or more important than the integrity of a person, especially when it comes to a case of violence. Julio Urias tripped over the same stone and now he will have to face the consequences of his mistakes.
The Mexican pitcher who was in the running for last season’s Cy Young and looking for a new contract during his free agency, struck out the most complicated enemy, himself.
Julio Urias has to pay
Last Sunday, Urias was arrested by California police on a felony domestic violence charge, which has him on administrative leave from the Los Angeles Dodgers, jeopardizing his future in the MLB until the investigation is closed.
The focus should be on the well-being of the victim, prioritizing her mental and physical health over the future of the player. Urias has faced accusations of family assault in the past and was suspended for 20 games in 2019. This would mark the first time in Major League Baseball history that an active player has faced these charges, twice.
Urias has to pay for his actions and seek immediate help. This incident highlights the lack of seriousness towards programs against gender violence in the sports world, with a growing list of players involved in such cases: Trevor Bauer, Aroldis Chapman, Yasiel Puig, Steven Wright, Mike Clevinger, among others.
The sanctions are not enough, and with a simple suspension and a fine of thousands of dollars compared to the salaries that these athletes command, there is no strong deterrent for them; the proof of this is Julio who ended up paying only 50,000 dollars for his bail.
If a final verdict is rendered against Urias, MLB may suspend him for life, which is unfortunate considering the love and the confidence that Dodgers organization has given to him.
