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Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes is reportedly expected to learn his punishment soon after facing domestic violence allegations from October, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Heyman noted the suspension is expected to be at least 60 games, but it may end up being closer to 80 games, “or about a half a season.”

Reyes was arrested in Maui on Oct. 31 after reportedly getting into a physical altercation with his wife in the hotel room they were staying at. Chelsea Davis of Hawaii News Now reported Reyes grabbed his wife by the throat and shoved her into a sliding glass door. 

While the former All-Star wasn’t criminally charged, Heyman reported MLB is expected to hand down a ban in the next few days and sees the incident in Maui as more serious than the alleged domestic violence incident involving New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman in December:

Reyes’ offense has been seen as more serious, as hotel workers at their Maui hotel reported that Reyes’ wife Katherine suffered injuries to her neck, wrist and thigh. Katherine did not cooperate with police, leading to charges being dropped. Nor has she cooperated with MLB.

Commissioner Rob Manfred has authority to impose bans for domestic abuse stemming from the policy done jointly with the players’ union.

Reyes’ ban is expected to be announced in coming days. It isn’t known whether MLB and the union have agreed on a specific length, or if Manfred might impose a penalty and let the union decide whether to challenge the length. Reyes and the union could grieve any ban imposed by Manfred, though in the case of Chapman, 30 games was agreed upon.

The Rockies are Reyes’ third team since he signed a six-year, $106 million deal with the Miami Marlins in December 2011. Miami sent him to the Toronto Blue Jays in November 2012, and then the Blue Jays shipped him to Colorado last year in the trade centered around All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.

Colorado has been able to withstand Reyes’ absence with the emergence of rookie shortstop Trevor Story. The 23-year-old shortstop is batting .272 and has hit 11 home runs so far for the near-.500 Rockies.

Even if Reyes is out for a lengthy period of time, Colorado has its shortstop of the future. If the Rockies don’t move Reyes, they’ll still have to pay the remainder of his contract, which includes $22 million in 2017.

While voiding contracts isn’t a normal occurrence, there have been instances where teams have gotten financial relief in return. That could be something to keep an eye on with Reyes and the Rockies.

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Domestic abuse charges against Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes were reportedly dropped Monday, according to the Associated Press.

The AP noted the judge in Hawaii gave prosecutors two years to potentially refile the charges if Reyes’ wife cooperates. Deputy Maui Prosecuting Attorney Kerry Glen “says it’s impossible to move forward with prosecution without cooperation from Reyes’ wife, who refuses to speak with prosecutors,” per the AP.

Reyes was arrested at the Wailea Four Seasons in Maui, Hawaii, on Oct. 31 and was released on $1,000 bail. However, the AP noted the bail will be refunded because the charge was dropped.

In November, Chelsea Davis of Hawaii News Now reported Reyes’ wife told the police the shortstop grabbed her throat and shoved her into a glass balcony door during the incident.

According to Nick Martin of the Washington Post, the indefinite suspension (with pay) that Major League Baseball levied against Reyes just before spring training “is still in place for the time being” even though the charges were dropped.

This comes after Rockies owner Dick Monfort met with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred on Thursday and did not get a timetable for a decision regarding Reyes’ status, per the AP (h/t ESPN.com).

Monfort did say if Reyes “did something wrong, he should pay for it,” per the AP (h/t ESPN.com), and wasn’t sure if the response and potential backlash from fans would influence any decisions regarding Reyes’ future.

MLB suspended Reyes under its new domestic abuse policy. New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman also received a 30-game suspension without pay, starting on Opening Day, under the same policy.

Reyes, a four-time All-Star, came to the Rockies from the Toronto Blue Jays as part of a trade that sent Troy Tulowitzki north of the border during the 2015 season. During Reyes’ absence, rookie Trevor Story has filled in at shortstop for the Rockies and proceeded to become the first player in MLB history to hit a home run in the first three games of his career.

Reyes hit .274 with seven home runs, 53 RBI and 24 stolen bases last season for the Rockies and Blue Jays.

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Authorities in Maui, Hawaii, will drop domestic abuse charges against Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes ahead of a trial that was scheduled to begin April 4.

Per Jennifer Sinco Kelleher of the Associated Press, Maui deputy prosecuting attorney Kerry Glen decided to drop the case against Reyes due to a lack of cooperation from Reyes’ wife.

Reyes was arrested and charged with allegedly assaulting his wife on October 31, per Chelsea Davis of Hawaii News Now.

According to Davis’ report, the alleged altercation took place around 2:30 p.m. while Reyes and his wife, Katherine, were staying at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. Reyes’ wife told police he “grabbed her off the bed and shoved her” and also reportedly told police he “grabbed her throat and shoved her into the sliding glass balcony door.”

The Rockies, who acquired Reyes from Toronto last July, issued a statement regarding the allegations against the 32-year-old:

While awaiting a final outcome to Reyes’ domestic violence case, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred announced in February the four-time All-Star had been placed on paid leave, via MLB.com’s Thomas Harding: 

Upon resolution of Reyes’ criminal proceedings and the completion of the Commissioner’s Office’s investigation into the incident, Commissioner Manfred will make a decision whether to impose discipline on Reyes. The Commissioner’s Office will have no further comment on this matter until a final disposition is announced.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported Reyes will remain on administrative leave until the investigation is complete.

Even though the case against Reyes was dropped, he could still face a suspension from MLB. The league’s domestic violence policy, established last August, gives Manfred the authority to determine a punishment following an investigation by the commissioner’s office.

New York Yankees reliever Aroldis Chapman became the first player punished under the new policy after details emerged in December of an incident with his girlfriend in October. Chapman received a 30-game suspension to start the season even though prosecutors decided not to pursue a case against him due to conflicting accounts and lack of evidence, per MLB.com’s Paul Hagen and Bryan Hoch.

Reyes has not played a spring training game with the Rockies while on paid leave, so even if he avoids a suspension, he likely wouldn’t be ready to take the field when they open the season on April 4 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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The Colorado Rockies continue to wait for official word on shortstop Jose Reyes‘ potential suspension.

Continue for updates.

Rockies Fearing the Worst for Reyes Suspension

Monday, March 7

Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported Colorado is preparing for what could be a “lengthy suspension” for the four-time All-Star.

Reyes was arrested Oct. 31 for an alleged domestic-violence incident in Maui, Hawaii, per ESPN.com. ESPN.com noted Reyes allegedly shoved his wife into a glass door in the hotel they stayed at and was later released after posting a $1,000 bail.

On March 1, Major League Baseball suspended newly acquired New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman for 30 games after a police report revealed Chapman was accused of firing a gun eight times and choking his girlfriend, per Jeff Passan and Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports.

Nick Groke of the Denver Post reported Reyes is scheduled to go on trial April 4, and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told Groke he plans to act quickly once the trial concludes.

“My expectation is, once that process plays out, we’ll be in position to act quickly,” Manfred said. “We’ll have access to all the facts.”

Reyes has three years remaining on a six-year, $106 million deal he signed with the Miami Marlins in December 2011. The Rockies are the third team Reyes has played for since signing that deal. Miami sent him to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2012 in a trade that centered around pitchers Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson. Toronto then sent him to Colorado last season for All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.

Reyes, the highest-paid player on the Rockies, is set to earn $22 million this year, per Spotrac. He batted .259 in 47 games for Colorado in 2015.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Major League Baseball has placed Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes on administrative paid leave until the completion of his legal proceedings.

Commissioner Rob Manfred made the announcement Tuesday afternoon, per MLB Communications. Shortly after, the MLB Players Association issued a statement in regard to the situation:    

Reyes was put on leave to handle the criminal proceedings stemming from his alleged domestic violence incident in Hawaii at the end of October.

MLB cited a section of the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy that allows the commissioner to suspend a player with pay until a case is resolved. Depending on the result of the case, the commissioner could then hand down further discipline if he or she deems it necessary.

According to Chelsea Davis of Hawaii News Now, Reyes’ wife, Katherine, told authorities he “grabbed her off the bed and shoved her” at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. Citing sources, Davis reported “she also told police that he grabbed her throat and shoved her into the sliding glass balcony door.” Reyes pleaded not guilty Nov. 24 to a domestic-abuse charge.

Joe Torre, MLB’s chief baseball officer, addressed both Reyes and New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman, who was also the subject of a domestic violence investigation, back in December:

Christian Red of the New York Daily News reported Jan. 14 that Reyes’ trial is set to begin in Maui County, Hawaii, on April 4, when the Rockies open the regular season against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The judge could potentially move up the trial date.

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Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes is set to stand trial April 4 on domestic abuse charges stemming from an October 2015 incident involving his wife in Maui, Hawaii.

Reyes has pleaded not guilty.

The trial is scheduled to take place in Hawaii, according to Christian Red of the New York Daily News, although deputy prosecuting attorney Kerry Glen told the paper a plea agreement is possible beforehand.

Per Red, the former New York Mets star “was arrested and charged with abuse of a family and/or household member” after the Wailea Four Seasons hotel security staff reported to police that Reyes’ wife, Katherine Ramirez, suffered face, neck and leg injuries.

According to Red, the impending case could have a major impact on Reyes’ Major League Baseball career. Former federal prosecutor and Wildes & Weinberg managing partner Michael Wildes explained that a conviction could lead to deportation:

Domestic violence can see an individual get deported if he or she is not a U.S. citizen. Once punished, the government has the authority to remove an individual for a crime involving moral turpitude and aggravated felony. It can be a very fast track for immigration officials to issue a removal proceeding. The only way to prevent removal is to be exonerated or have the charges dismissed, or if the government believes it’s a “he said, she said” matter. I would hope Mr. Reyes has a good immigration lawyer.

In addition, possible discipline from MLB or the Rockies remains. The organization was still looking into the matter in November:

Although Reyes’ play has dropped off in recent years, in part due to injury, the 32-year-old is still penciled in to be a key player for the organization. Last season, Colorado traded Troy Tulowitzki and reliever LaTroy Hawkins to Toronto for Reyes and three right-handed pitching prospects.

If Reyes isn’t ready for Opening Day, Daniel Descalso may see time at shortstop.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes was arrested Oct. 31 in Hawaii on charges of domestic violence, per Chelsea Davis of Hawaii News Now.

Denver’s 9News posted a copy of Reyes’ mugshot:

KHNL in Hawaii (via Deadspin’s Kevin Draper) reported Reyes shoved his wife into a sliding glass door after grabbing her around the throat at the Four Seasons Hualalai. According to Davis, Reyes posted bail and is out of jail.

The Rockies issued a statement regarding the allegations:

On Tuesday, Major League Baseball released a statement on Reyes’ arrest (via Adam Rubin of ESPN.com):

As evidenced by our Joint Domestic Violence Policy, Major League Baseball understands the seriousness of the issues surrounding domestic violence, and our policy explicitly recognizes the harm resulting from such acts. Consistent with the terms of this policy, the Commissioner’s Office already has begun its investigation into the facts and circumstances. Any action taken by the Commissioner’s Office in this matter will be wholly in accordance with this policy.

After the statement, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told reporters there is no timeline for the investigation.

“Obviously it’s an issue of concern to us,” Manfred said.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports added Reyes can be disciplined for “just cause” without a conviction. Rosenthal also noted Reyes could “be placed on administrative leave for up to seven days in-season.”

The 32-year-old started 2015 with the Toronto Blue Jays, who traded him to the Rockies in a deal that sent Troy Tulowitzki to Toronto in July. Reyes batted .274 with seven home runs, 53 RBI and 24 stolen bases in 116 games.

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Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes wants out of the Mile High City.

Take it from the man himself, per Nick Groke of the Denver Post:

You come from a ballclub that was competing for a spot in the playoffs. And you come to a club in last place. You think about that. … I’m at the point in my career that I want to win. I say it over and over. I want to win. I don’t want to spend the rest of my career on a last-place team. That’s not the kind of player I feel like I am.

Let’s unpack this, piece by piece.

Reyes, a four-time All-Star and a guy who used to get MVP votes, was in Toronto, on a team aiming for October.

Then, at the trade deadline, the Blue Jays shipped him to Colorado as part of the deal that brought another All-Star shortstop, Troy Tulowitzki, north of the border.

Basically, the Jays swapped Reyes for what they perceived to be a better model.

Since Tulo arrived, along with ace southpaw David Price, Toronto has gone on a tear and is now locked in a dead heat for supremacy in the American League East. There’s a lot of baseball left, but it’s an increasingly safe bet the Jays will end their 22-year postseason drought.

Reyes could have been there. Instead, he’s toiling in Colorado, on a last-place team going nowhere. So his bitterness is understandable.

It also must grate a bit for Rockies fans to hear their new player label the franchise as a perpetual loser.

Read that quote again and notice how he said “the rest of my career,” not simply “the rest of the season.” That indicates Reyes isn’t sold on the idea of Colorado ever evolving into a winner, at least not in the two seasons—plus a team option for 2018—that remain on his current contract.

That contract—which will pay Reyes at least $48 million after this year—complicates matters.

Reyes has cleared waivers, per ESPN.com, meaning the Rockies can trade him this season, if there’s a taker.

That’s a big “if.”

Yes, Reyes’ overall numbers—a .279 batting average, 41 RBI, 19 stolen bases—are decent. And he’s picked it up after slumping initially with the Rockies, smacking a pair of home runs and driving in seven in 22 games.

But at 32 years old, Reyes is no longer an elite MLB shortstop. In 2006 and 2007, at the height of his powers, Reyes’ glove was good for 20 defensive runs saved (DRS), according to FanGraphs.

In 2014 and what we’ve seen so far of 2015, that’s plummeted to a minus-27 mark.

That’s only one measure, and all defensive stats have their limitations. But it paints a stark picture of a once-stellar defender in decline.

The long-term answer is probably to shift Reyes to second base, and there are clubs with a need there.

A deal this season seems unlikely. The New York Yankees have been linked to Reyes, but as NJ Advance Media’s Brendan Kuty reported, general manager Brian Cashman said the Yanks aren’t likely to make any waiver trades.

As CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman noted, with Didi Gregorius making strides at shortstop and the Stephen Drew-Brendan Ryan duo holding on at second base, “it’s hard to see a real match with the Yankees right now.”

It’s possible the Rockies could get creative over the winter and find a suitor, especially if Reyes heats up down the stretch.

It’s worth wondering, though, if his days of providing a spark are over.

Reyes says he wants to go to a contender and still talks like a guy who can help push a club over the top. But the numbers, particularly on the defensive side, tell a different story. Reyes, once a game-changer, may no longer be anything more than a complementary piece.

And unless the Rockies are willing to eat a significant portion of his salary or accept a relatively modest return, he could be stuck in Colorado for longer than he likes.

All statistics current as of Aug. 24 and courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted.

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This week brought teams to their 50-game marks, signaling the stretch run for the 10 postseason spots and Major League Baseball’s exciting scoreboard watching.

But Week 19 of this season brought us more than just wins, losses and jockeying in the standings. It brought us stupid quotes from a floundering team, a stupid decision from a franchise with an already spotty track record and more trade rumors, among other happenings.

The Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals showed they will be forces through the season’s final turn. The Washington Nationals and Houston Astros showed they are vulnerable, and the San Francisco Giants took us back to the simpler times of the late ’80s and early ’90s.

More important than all of that, Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell announced Friday he was fighting a “highly curable” form of cancer and will not coach the team for the remainder of the season. He learned he had lymphoma earlier in the week, and chemotherapy will start next week.

The Farrell news is the latest in an eventful MLB week. We wrap it all up here in Bleacher Report’s 10 takeaways from Week 19.

Begin Slideshow

The Toronto Blue Jays made big news late last week, executing a blockbuster trade with the Oakland A’s, receiving Josh Donaldson in exchange for Brett Lawrie and three prospects.

This comes after the Jays shelled out $82 million for free agent catcher Russell Martin on November 20. 

Continuing the philosophy that general manager Alex Anthopoulos and the rest of the front office have implemented recently, the Blue Jays want to win now.  The Yankees, Red Sox and Rays all struggled last year, but Toronto wasn’t able to capitalize, finishing 83-79 and third in the AL East.

However, they were without one of their best hitters for most of 2014.  Edwin Encarnacion played in only 128 games because of a quad injury he suffered in Baltimore in July, and Brett Lawrie missed over half the season.  Those two injuries caused the Jays to have to shuffle a variety of mediocre players at the corner infield positions.

But with Donaldson, who is one of the most consistent players in the game over the past two seasons, the Blue Jays offense has the potential to be among the most productive in the league.

Shortstop Jose Reyes starts it off at the top of the order, giving them a steady leadoff hitter when healthy.  Even though he has lost a step at age 31, he still stole 30 of 32 attempts in 2014 and got on base at a solid .328 clip.  If he can find a way to stay on the field for 140 to 150 games, he has the skills to be one of the best leadoff hitters in the MLB.

If Reyes can get on base on a regular basis, he will have no trouble scoring an abundance of runs.  Jose Bautista, Encarnacion and Donaldson comprise one of the scariest 3-4-5 hearts of the order in the game.  Manager John Gibbons has not yet announced where he plans to place Donaldson in the lineup, but I assume it will be either third, in front of Bautista and Encarnacion, or fifth, behind the two power studs.

And, if the Jays choose to re-sign Melky Cabrera, CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman tweeted that they were interested, he would occupy the second spot, and Toronto would have arguably the best top of the order in all of baseball.  

Bautista and Encarnacion are monsters.  Bautista has averaged better than 37 home runs and 93 RBI in the past five years, and Encarnacion has averaged the same number of homers and 104 RBI.  Even when Encarnacion missed more than 30 games last year, he still managed to record 34 dingers.

Donaldson thinks along the same lines.  He was very optimistic about his new opportunity in Toronto.

“You start looking at the capability of this lineup and the potential that it brings,” Donaldson told the Associated Press via ESPN.com.  “I’m going to venture to say there’s probably not going to be another lineup as potent as this in major league baseball.”

Not only will the team be more potent with the addition of the All-Star third baseman, but Donaldson’s power numbers should rise significantly playing in his new home park. 

In a recent article in the New York Daily News, Bill Madden quoted a veteran scout saying this about Josh Donaldson:

Donaldson, with his righthanded power, could be a monster in the AL East.  Just think about it — he’s trading home games in Oakland for home games in Toronto, as well as 19 games in Seattle for 19 games in Boston and Baltimore, each.  It’s a great pickup for them and you’ve got to love their lineup now.

Madden is talking about the reputation of the AL East ballparks being more hitter-friendly than AL West ballparks.  Toronto, Boston and Baltimore are known for dramatically raising power numbers, while Seattle and Oakland are where power hitters go to die.

The Blue Jays are a team on the rise, a talented roster that has not yet been able to put anything together.  They have not played in a postseason game in 21 years, the longest active streak in the MLB.

So it is pretty safe to assume that the Toronto offense is going to be very good, but they could use some help in the pitching department.  They have a decent starting rotation consisting of R.A. Dickey, Mark Buehrle, Marcus Stroman and Drew Hutchinson, but they need to add an arm or two to the back end of the bullpen.

Even though they let Casey Janssen, their closer the past three seasons, walk in free agency, they are back in contention for his services, according to Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star. 

They hope top prospect Daniel Norris can contribute at the big league level in 2015, but it’s nearly impossible to project how he would perform out of the bullpen.

As they are now, the Blue Jays have added enough hitting help to improve their record by at least a handful of victories.  But if they can add a pitcher via trade or free agency or find a hidden gem in their farm system, the Jays have what it takes to end their playoff drought. 

And who knows, maybe they can be 2015’s version of the Kansas City Royals.

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