Herrera suspended for remainder of season

NEW YORK >> Phillies outfielder Odubel Herrera is ineligible to play for the remainder of this season after accepting an unpaid, 85-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy.

The suspension is retroactive to June 24, and Herrera is ineligible for postseason play should the Phillies wind up being so lucky.

The commissioner’s office announced the decision Friday, two days after domestic assault charges against Herrera in Atlantic City, N.J. were dismissed.

He had been charged with simple assault and knowingly causing bodily injury stemming from an incident May 27 at the Golden Nugget Casino. The woman, reportedly his girlfriend, Melany Martinez-Angulo, declined to press charges.

“I acted in an unacceptable manner and am terribly disappointed in myself. I alone am to blame for my actions,” Herrera said in a statement issued through the players’ association. He waived his right to appeal the MLB suspension.

“I’ve taken meaningful steps to assure that nothing like this will ever happen again,” he added. “I have learned from this experience, and I have grown as a person. I apologize to the Phillies’ organization, my teammates, and all my fans.”

Herrera said he intends to “work on being a better partner, teammate, and person.” He will lose $2,634,409 of his $5.35 million salary for this season, the amount due over the final 98 days of the 186-day regular season.

Herrera is in the third year of a $30.5 million, five-year contract and is due to make $7.35 million next season and $10.35 million in 2021 guaranteed. The Phillies have club options for 2022 and ‘23.

“We are encouraged by Odubel’s acceptance of his discipline as an indication of his willingness to learn from this and change his behavior appropriately,” the Phillies said in a statement.

An All-Star center fielder in 2016, Herrera was hitting only .222 with one home run and 16 RBIs in 39 games this season. He missed time in April with a hamstring injury.

The penalty is believed to be the second-longest the league has doled out under the current policy. Former San Diego relief pitcher Jose Torres was suspended for 100 games amid pleading guilty to an assault charge in which he was alleged to have pointed a gun at his wife.