Urías’ locker removed in ‘organizational decision’

LOS ANGELES — Julio Urías‘ locker was noticeably absent from the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ clubhouse when the team returned home Monday, replaced by one for veteran second baseman Kolten Wong. At least two of his Dodger Stadium murals had also been covered up in the wake of his Sept. 4 arrest on suspicion of felony domestic violence.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the removal of Urías’ locker was an “organizational decision” and called the entire situation “sad on every level.” Asked if the actions taken by the team were an indication that it had moved on from Urías, Roberts said: “I think so. I think that’s kind of where we’re at right now.”

“There’s really not much for me to comment,” Roberts added, “other than the fact that, like I said on the first day, this is a very, very unfortunate, sad situation.”

Urías, a 27-year-old starting pitcher, was arrested two Sundays ago, near midnight, outside BMO Stadium at Exposition Park in L.A. after a soccer match between Inter Miami and LAFC, when a witness contacted police about a physical altercation between a man — later learned to be Urías — and a woman. Urías was arrested and posted $50,000 bail, prompting his release early the next morning.

Major League Baseball, in conjunction with the MLB Players Association, placed Urías on administrative leave “until further notice” on Wednesday, making it seem unlikely that Urías could return before season’s end. The Dodgers subsequently announced the cancellation of Urías’ bobblehead giveaway on Sept. 21, replacing it with a different bobblehead promotion.

Urías, originally signed by the Dodgers out of Mexico as a teenager in 2012, will be a free agent at season’s end and stood to be one of the most coveted players on the market. He was previously suspended 20 games under MLB’s domestic violence policy in 2019 and could be the first player to be punished twice since the policy debuted in August 2015.