Former Rangers closer punished

Former Texas Rangers reliever Sam Dyson was suspended for the entire 2021 season for violating the league’s domestic violence policy.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the punishment Friday.

Dyson’s former girlfriend Alexis Blackburn alleged he was physically, mentally and verbally abusive in several social media posts in 2019 and early in 2020 and later in a story in the Athletic in November.

Dyson spent more than two seasons with the Rangers, including serving as the team’s primary closer. He was designated for assignment after he a disastrous first two months of the 2017 season.

He spent most of the past three of four seasons with the San Francisco Giants before finishing 2019 with the Minnesota Twins. He did not pitch in 2020 and is a free agent.