Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig will not face any discipline from Major League Baseball following an investigation into an alleged domestic violence incident involving his sister last November.
ESPN.com’s Adam Rubin tweeted out the official statement from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred about the decision regarding Puig’s status on Wednesday:
Puig’s attorney released a statement after MLB announced it would not be suspending the star outfielder, per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times:
We are pleased that the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball has concluded its investigation with respect to Yasiel. Yasiel greatly appreciates the support he has received from the Dodgers, his teammates, and other players throughout baseball. Now that the matter has been resolved and is behind him, Yasiel is looking forward to the 2016 season.
In November, TMZ Sports reported Puig was involved in a fight with a bouncer at a bar in Miami following an argument with his sister, in which “he pushed her.” No charges were filed.
Jon Heyman wrote for CBS Sports last December the bar brawl involving Puig may not have been as bad as TMZ initially reported:
Word from someone briefed on the encounter is that Puig originally tried to play peacemaker between his sister and her boyfriend, but was asked to leave after getting a bit loud. There might have been some disagreement about how quickly he was leaving, and bar workers are said to have physically escorted him out.
Apparently, he got hit in the eye during the escorting process, then after he broke free from their grip or they let him go, he apparently retaliated with a shot to one of the rougher bar workers.
Two weeks ago, ESPN’s Pedro Gomez (via ESPN.com news services) reported that a suspension for Puig was not likely and he “obliged all requests” from MLB regarding the case after starting out “initially uncooperative.”
The report added that Gomez’s sources told him nothing MLB discovered in its investigation would merit a suspension, which the league confirmed in its press released on Wednesday.
With this situation behind him, Puig can turn his attention to the field. This is an important season for the 25-year-old. He struggled his way to a .255/.322/.436 slash line in just 79 games last year because of injuries.
The Dodgers have a crowded outfield mix with Puig, Carl Crawford, Joc Pederson and Andre Ethier fighting for playing time. Puig has the highest ceiling in that group and has shown flashes of being a superstar in 2013 and 2014, but consistency has been his biggest problem on the field.
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