Major League Baseball can suspend players with pay when legal charges are pending in “exceptional cases” under a new domestic violence policy signed on Friday.
The 13-page deal signed on Friday by the league and players’ association, which followed a series of high-profile domestic violence cases involving NFL players, allows the baseball commissioner to issue discipline for “just cause,” the same standard used under the sport’s collective bargaining agreement. Discipline is not dependent on a criminal conviction.
“Major League Baseball and its clubs are proud to adopt a comprehensive policy that reflects the gravity and the sensitivities of these significant societal issues,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “We believe that these efforts will foster not only an approach of education and prevention, but also a united stance against these matters throughout our sport and our communities.”
The commissioner can place a player accused of domestic violence, sexual assault or child abuse on paid “administrative leave” for up to seven days before a disciplinary decision, which can be appealed to the sport’s arbitration panel, chaired by an independent arbitrator. The commissioner can also defer a discipline decision until the resolution of criminal charges.
Suspensions that are upheld are without pay, and there are no maximum or minimum penalties. Players will not receive service time for the period of the suspension.
Players can be suspended with pay in “exceptional cases” while criminal charges are pending if the commissioner determines “allowing the player to play during the pendency of the criminal or legal proceeding would result in substantial or irreparable harm to either the club or Major League Baseball.” If the disciplinary action becomes an unpaid suspension, the player has the right to offset the time served against the penalty, but must repay any salary he received from his team during the paid suspension.
The deal creates a joint policy board to provide treatment, which could include mandatory counseling and psychological evaluation. Three experts are to serve on the board along with two members appointed by MLB and two by the union, and one of the experts will submit a proposed treatment plan to the full board for approval. Players who fail to comply with their treatment plan might be subject to discipline.
“Players are husbands, fathers, sons and boyfriends and as such, want to set an example that makes clear that there is no place for domestic abuse in our society,” players’ union executive director Tony Clark said in the release. “We are hopeful that this new comprehensive, collectively-bargained policy will deter future violence, promote victim safety, and serve as a step toward a better understanding of the causes and consequences of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.”
Previously, the labor contract included a voluntary treatment program for certain alcohol-related and off-field violent conduct. It also allows the commissioner or a team to impose discipline, but did not say of what sort, if a player was charged with a crime “involving the use of physical force or violence, including but not limited to, sexual assault, domestic violence, resisting arrest, battery, and assault.”
Following the decision by the New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez to have outside lawyers of his choice handle the arbitration of his drug suspension two years ago, the agreement includes a provision that the player and union can be represented “only by in-house counsel of the players’ association and/or by outside counsel appointed by the players’ association.”
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
After fleeing Sudan when civil war erupted, Al-Hilal captain Mohamed Abdelrahman and his teammates have defied the odds to reach the CAF Champions League quarter-finals. They are today to face title-holders Al-Ahly of Egypt in Cairo, with the return match in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, on Tuesday next week. Al-Hilal and biggest domestic rivals Al-Merrikh relocated to Mauritania after a power struggle broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary force. The civil war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced more than 12 million people, according to the UN. The Democratic Republic of the Congo-born Al-Hilal
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their
RSS