Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera has been placed on administrative leave by Major League Baseball _ and could face stronger disciplinary action _ after his arrest Monday night after a domestic violence incident in Atlantic City.
Atlantic City police said Tuesday that Herrera was arrested in his room at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino. According to the police report, officers arrived to find the victim, a 20-year-old woman from Philadelphia identified as Herrera's girlfriend, with "visible signs of injury to her arms and neck that was sustained after being assaulted during a dispute."
Herrera was charged with simple assault and released on a summons with a future court date.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has independent authority to review such incidents under the joint domestic violence policy negotiated between the league and the players' union in 2015. Herrera may remain on administrative (paid) leave for up to seven days while the commissioner's office conducts its investigation, although the league can extend the leave.
The Phillies will be allowed to replace Herrera on the roster before Tuesday night's game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park.
In a statement Tuesday, the Phillies said they "take any domestic violence accusation seriously and strongly support the Joint Domestic Violence Policy agreed upon by MLB and the MLBPA."
Herrera, 27, is in the third season of a five-year, $30 million contract. After a strong start to the season, he's batting .222 with a .288 on-base percentage and a .629 on-base plus slugging percentage and recently began to lose playing time in center field to Scott Kingery.
MLB has issued several punishments under its current domestic violence policy, although suspensions have varied greatly in length.
Most recently, Cubs shortstop Addison Russell received a 40-game ban. Other players who have been suspended for domestic violence incidents are Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman (30 games in 2016), then-Rockies infielder Jose Reyes (51 games in 2016), Mets reliever Jeurys Familia (15 games in 2016), former Rays catcher Derek Norris (final month of the 2017 season), Red Sox pitcher Steven Wright (15 games in 2018), and then-Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna (75 games in 2018).
