New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman has been suspended for 30 games due to his role in a domestic incident. Billy Witz of the New York Times was first to report the news, which has since been confirmed by Major League Baseball. Chapman will not appeal the suspension.
The 28-year-old pitcher was being investigated under MLB's new domestic violence policy after he was involved in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend in October. According to the police report, Chapman allegedly choked his girlfriend and fired eight gunshots into his garage.
Chapman's suspension won't kick in until the regular season, so he'll be eligible to play during spring training. He will be able to return May 9 against the Kansas City Royals. Chapman will lose roughly $1.7 million while serving his suspension, according to Witz.
Chapman released a statement shortly after the news broke, insisting he didn't hurt his girlfriend and his accepting MLB's punishment to limit distractions. Here's his statement in full:
Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred also released a statement explaining why he opted to give Chapman a 30-game suspension.
Chapman posted a 1.63 ERA over 66 1/3 innings with the Cincinnati Reds last season. Despite the investigation, the Yankees traded for the All-Star closer in December.
Due to the length of the suspension, Chapman will become a free-agent following the 2016 season. Had Chapman been suspended for 40 games, he could have remained with the Yankees for an additional season due to service time rules.
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