TAMPA — Commissioner Rob Manfred made a strong statement Tuesday, issuing a 30-game suspension for Aroldis Chapman for domestic violence allegations stemming from an October incident at his Miami home.
The suspension is effective Opening Day and Chapman will be able to participate in spring training and preseason games and activities. The Yankees’ reliever is not going to appeal the decision.
Said Manfred: “I asked my staff to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the incident involving Aroldis Chapman on October 30, 2015. Much of the information regarding the incident has been made public through documents released by law enforcement. Mr. Chapman submitted to an in-person interview with counsel present. After reviewing the staff report, I found Mr. Chapman’s acknowledged conduct on that day to be inappropriate under the negotiated Policy, particularly his use of a firearm and the impact of that behavior on his partner. I am gratified that Mr. Chapman has taken responsibility for his conduct, that he has agreed not to appeal the 30-game suspension, and that he has agreed to comply with the confidential directives of the Joint Policy Board established under the parties’ Policy to ensure that a similar incident does not occur in the future.”
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Chapman was unavailable for comment but released a statement after the suspension was announced.
“I want to be clear, I did not in any way harm my girlfriend that evening,” the statement said. “However, I should have exercised better judgment with respect to certain actions, and for that I am sorry. The decision to accept a suspension, as opposed to appealing one, was made after careful consideration. I made this decision in an effort to minimize the distractions that an appeal would cause the Yankees, my new teammates and most importantly, my family. I have learned from this matter, and I look forward to being part of the Yankees’ quest for a 28th World Series title. Out of respect for my teammates and my family, I will have no further comment.”
The MLB Players Association said in a statement that it supported Chapman’s decision not to appeal.
According to a source, the league and the union had agreed to the suspension last week, but there was confusion among Chapman’s camp as to whether the penalty was 30 games or 30 days. The two sides cleared up the issue, which included Chapman’s vow not to appeal the suspension through an arbitrator.
The suspension will cost Chapman $1,856,557 of his $11,325,000 salary, though the 30 days of lost service time won’t stop him from becoming a free agent at the end of the season.
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Chapman will be eligible to return on May 9, even if any of the Yankees’ first 30 games are rained out or postponed. He will not be allowed to pitch in minor-league games during the suspension, but will be able to continue working out at the team’s minor-league complex in Tampa and take part in extended spring training games.
Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances will carry the load at the back of the bullpen during Chapman’s suspension.
Nita Chaudhary, co-founder of national women’s advocacy organization UltraViolet, issued a statement following the announcement.
“Domestic violence has no place in professional sports of any kind and no player, no matter how fast or well he throws a baseball, should go unpunished for these crimes,” Chaudhary said. “Chapman’s suspension is a step in the right direction but the MLB has a long way to go before fans can feel like domestic abuse will no longer be tolerated in baseball.”
Neither Joe Girardi nor Brian Cashman was available for comment after the decision was announced, but earlier in the day the manager expressed his pleasure over the way Chapman has handled his spring to this point.
“That’s what you want him to do,” Girardi said. “In a sense, it’s out of his control now. The commissioner has spent a lot of time investigating what happened and is going to make a decision. He needs to get prepared, that’s what he can control right now.”
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Florida prosecutors announced they would not file criminal charges against Chapman, who allegedly pushed and choked his girlfriend, Cristina Barnea, then fired multiple shots from a gun inside his garage on Oct 30.
Despite prosecutors’ decision not to pursue criminal charges, Chapman was still subject to discipline under the new joint domestic violence policy agreed to by MLB and the players union last August.
“This is a big year for him, for many reasons, obviously,” Alex Rodriguez said. “He’s going through some serious issues, but that presents an opportunity to kind of make strides forward in your life way beyond baseball. But we need him. He’s a big part of our team. And I think the key in New York is you have to focus on the game, focus on your teammates and I think he has a lot of support in that clubhouse.”
Jose Reyes and Yasiel Puig are also being investigated by the league for domestic violence allegations, though no rulings have been made. Puig was allegedly involved in a fight with a bouncer at a Miami bar after an argument with his sister on Nov. 25, while Reyes is set to stand trial on criminal domestic violence charges in Hawaii on April 4 for an alleged incident on Oct. 31.
Last week, Reyes was placed on paid leave pending the completion of his criminal case, the first official action taken by MLB with regard to the new domestic violence policy.