Julio Urias charged with five misdemeanors in relation to 2023 arrest

Left-hander Julio Urias has been charged with five misdemeanors by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office, per Jack Harris and Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, stemming from his 2023 arrest.

The charges include one count of spousal battery, two counts of domestic battery involving dating relationship, one count of false imprisonment and one count of assault. There is an arraignment scheduled for May 2.

Urias was arrested in early September of last year and charged with “corporal injury on a spouse” after an alleged altercation occurred outside BMO Stadium in downtown Los Angeles following a Major League Soccer game between LAFC and Inter Miami. 

He was still a member of the Dodgers at that time but just a few weeks away from free agency. He was placed on administrative leave by MLB in the days following his reported arrest.

It was reported in December that the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office was looking into the matter. In January, their report found that Urias “pushed his wife against a fence and pulled her by the hair or shoulders” but stated that “neither the victim’s injuries nor the defendant’s criminal history justify a felony filing.” 

They forwarded the matter to the City Attorney’s Office to determine whether misdemeanor charges were warranted, which has resulted in the five charges reported on Tuesday.

Major League Baseball can impose discipline even in the absence of criminal charges under the Joint Domestic Violence policy with the Players Association. Urias was previously suspended for 20 games for violating the policy in 2019 even though no charges were laid at that time. 

If he were to receive a second suspension under that policy, he would be the first player to do so, though the league will likely wait until the City Attorney’s case is complete before making their decision.

“Our investigation is ongoing,” an MLB spokesman said to the L.A. Times on Tuesday. “We have no further comment.”