LA district attorney clears former Dodger Urías of felony charge

LOS ANGELES — Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías won’t be charged with a felony after his arrest in September on suspicion of domestic violence. According to a charge evaluation worksheet from the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, Urías was arguing with his wife when he “pushed (her) against a fence and pulled her by the hair or shoulders.” However, the document said, “Neither the Victim’s injuries nor the Defendant’s criminal history justify a felony filing.”

The DA’s office said Tuesday it is turning the case over to the city attorney to consider filing a misdemeanor.

Urías became a free agent after the World Series. He spent the first eight years of his career with the Dodgers.

Urías was placed on administrative leave indefinitely by Major League Baseball after his arrest outside BMO Stadium in Exposition Park in south Los Angeles where he attended a Major League Soccer game. Police were first alerted by a citizen who reported a man and woman were in a physical altercation. Urías was arrested by Department of Public Safety officers on felony suspicion of domestic violence.

The leave was imposed under baseball’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy with the players’ association and can be the first step toward a suspension. Players are paid but cannot play while on leave.

TV NEWS

Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers will be featured on two of ESPN’s first three “Sunday Night Baseball” telecasts this season. The Dodgers’ opening two games of the season were assigned to ESPN as an MLB special event, a two-game series against the Padres at Seoul, South Korea, on March 20-21.

ESPN will open its Sunday night schedule with the Dodgers’ home game against the St. Louis Cardinals on March 31 and will televise the Dodgers’ home game against the San Diego Padres on April 14, the network said Wednesday. ESPN also selected the Dodgers’ June 9 game at the New York Yankees for its Sunday schedule of games, which start shortly after 4 p.m.