Julio Urías is a free agent but legal issues cloud his status

Scott Boras, a prominent baseball agent, conducted his annual interview with reporters at the MLB general manager meetings on Wednesday. Standing in front of a Boras Corporation backdrop, he shared his thoughts on MLB’s handling of the draft, bringing a mix of lightheartedness and critique. It was all fun and games until the topic shifted to the controversial Julio Urías.

This week was supposed to mark the start of teams’ pursuit of Urías in free agency. He was expected to be a highly sought-after player but was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence in September, causing his future in baseball to be shrouded in uncertainty.

According to a spokesperson from the Exposition Park Department of Public Safety, who arrested Urías, the case hasn’t been presented to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office yet. The league’s policy requires Urías to be interviewed as part of the domestic violence investigation. Since no charges have been filed, MLB has not been able to interview him yet.

The future of Urías remains unclear, with the league’s policy allowing Commissioner Rob Manfred to suspend him even without criminal charges. This isn’t the first time Urías has faced such allegations, as MLB handed him a 20-game suspension in 2019 for a similar incident.

With his MLB future uncertain, Urías, now a free agent, is eligible to sign with any club. However, his controversial past might impact his chances of returning to the league.

Another former Dodgers player, Trevor Bauer, is also eyeing a return to the majors amidst suiting allegations. The legal limbo surrounding both players epitomizes the ethical challenges faced by MLB in handling players accused of misconduct on and off the field.

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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.