Mets’ Khalil Lee under investigation following domestic assault allegations

Mets outfielder Khalil Lee was named in a federal lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend this week that alleges that Lee assaulted her physically and verbally last May, Anne Hayes of Syracuse.com reports. The reported victim went to law enforcement the day after the purported incident, and Hayes writes that an arrest warrant charging Lee for criminal obstruction of breath was signed by a judge back in August. Hayes’ report has a timeline and more specific details on the allegations against Lee, which include choking and kicking the plaintiff during an argument.

SNY’s Andy Martino tweets that Lee is also being investigated by Major League Baseball under the league’s domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. That policy, jointly agreed upon by MLB and the MLBPA, affords commissioner Rob Manfred the authority to levy disciplinary action against a player even in the absence of a criminal conviction.

The Mets issued a statement acknowledging that the team “immediately notified MLB upon becoming aware of the allegations,” adding that they will “fully comply with MLB’s policy and cannot comment until the completion of the league’s investigative process.”

Lee, 24, is on the Mets’ 40-man roster. The team acquired him from the Royals in 2021’s three-team trade that sent Andrew Benintendi from Boston to Kansas City. Lee has spent the past two seasons in the Mets organization, appearing in 13 major league games but spending the vast majority of his time with their Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse.