In 2019 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ryu Hyun-jin had his best year, finishing first in the National League (NL) in earned run average and second in Cy Young voting, and after the season he moved to the Toronto Blue Jays as a free agent. Toronto treated him lavishly with the franchise's highest-ever pitcher contract at the time (4 years, $80 million), but the Dodgers were lukewarm about keeping Ryu Hyun-jin.
The reason the Dodgers did not insist on keeping Ryu Hyun-jin was the presence of left-handed pitcher Julio Urías (29) from Mexico. The young gun Urías, who was emerging as the next-generation ace, was at the time to be converted to a full-time starter, and the Dodgers' choice was not wrong. Urías roared to a save in the Dodgers' 2020 World Series winning moment and grew explosively into a 20-win pitcher in 2021.
In 2022 he had a career-high season with 31 games (175 innings), 17-7, a 2.16 earned run average and 166 strikeouts. He ranked first in the NL in earned run average and third in Cy Young voting, fully unleashing his potential. In the 2023 free-agent season he faltered with 21 games (117⅓ innings), 11-8, a 4.60 earned run average and 117 strikeouts, but because he was only 26 he was expected to command a huge contract. With few top starting pitchers on the market, super agent Scott Boras was preparing to take a big cut.
However, Urías' major league career stopped after the Atlanta Braves game on Sept. 2, 2023. Two days later, Urías, who had gone to the LAFC home stadium to watch Major League Soccer (MLS), was arrested by police for assault. Witnesses reported violent acts including pushing his wife into a fence and pulling her hair and shoulders. Urías posted $50,000 bail and was released, but Major League Baseball immediately placed him on administrative leave.
In April 2024 Urías was indicted on five misdemeanor charges — one count of spousal battery, one count of unlawful imprisonment, one count of assault and two counts of domestic violence — and was sentenced to 36 months probation, 30 days of community service and 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling. Major League Baseball also suspended him through the first half of the season last March for violating the domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. The suspension was lifted on July 18, but Urías remains a free agent.
His original club, the Dodgers, cut ties with Urías immediately after the September 2023 assault incident. They quickly removed his traces from the ballpark, including murals and clubhouse lockers. The Dodgers had not given Urías a second chance after he received a 20-game suspension in May 2019 for assaulting his girlfriend. After the season he became a free agent and other teams did not pursue him.
He could not play in his native Mexico either. He did not meet the punishment conditions set by U.S. authorities, and it was reported that he could not play for the Mexican national team or in the league until he completed his 36-month probation. There was speculation he might seek a comeback in Japan or Korea, but if he cannot play even in his native Mexico, moving to Asia would be difficult.
He will of course not participate in next month's World Baseball Classic (WBC). On the 3rd (Korea time) ESPN Deportes reported that Mexico excluded Urías from the WBC roster because of legal issues. Mexico manager Benjamín Gil said, "Urías has not been banned from participating by Major League Baseball. He has legal issues in the United States. As I understand it, he cannot participate until all past matters are resolved." There were two assault incidents, and because he is still under probation he appears unable to leave the United States.
Urías started both games for Mexico in the 2023 WBC but struggled, allowing three home runs and seven runs over nine innings for a 7.00 earned run average. But having Urías or not makes a world of difference for Mexico. Three years ago his assaults caused enormous damage to both the Dodgers and Mexico.
Above all, he ruined himself. He wasted a large two years at the time when he should have been in his prime. Ahead of the suspension lift in July last year, Boras said, "Urías intends to continue his career. He is working on his physical condition," but the longer the competitive layoff, the longer it will take to regain his feel.
He is still young at 29, so if a team accepts him he could pitch well again. But because of two assault incidents, conservative major league clubs are thoroughly shunning Urías. It looks like he is following in the footsteps of Trevor Bauer, a Cy Young winner expelled from the Dodgers on sexual assault allegations who then bounced between Japan and Mexico. At 26 Urías' baseball life stopped — when can it resume?
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