Major League Baseball

Dodgers remove Julio Urías' locker, cover up murals at stadium

Published Sep. 11, 2023 8:58 p.m. ET

Julio Urías' locker has been removed from the Los Angeles Dodgers' clubhouse, and two murals featuring the World Series-winning pitcher have been covered up at Dodger Stadium ahead of the team's homestand this week.

Urías is on indefinite administrative leave after he was arrested on Sept. 3 on suspicion of corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant. The left-hander has been on the Dodgers' pitching staff since 2016.

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When asked Monday if the Dodgers' latest moves confirm the club is moving on from the pitcher who recorded the final out of their World Series victory in 2020, manager Dave Roberts replied: "I think so. That's where we're at. There's not much for me to comment on. It's just like I said on the first day. It's just it's a very, very unfortunate, sad situation."

The locker stall formerly occupied by Urías has been taken over by veteran journeyman Kolten Wong. The Dodgers also painted over a mural featuring Urías and covered another with a tarpaulin.

Roberts said he wasn't aware Urías' locker had been removed until he arrived at the stadium for the Dodgers' homestand opener against San Diego.

"I think that was an organizational thing," Roberts said. "I didn't know. It's sad. It's sad on every level."

The Dodgers signed Urías when he was a teenager in Mexico. The 27-year-old grew into one of the majors' top starting pitchers over the past four seasons, winning 20 games in 2021 and leading the majors with a 2.16 ERA last year in addition to his World Series heroics in 2020.

But Urías has been arrested twice in four years over domestic violence-related incidents, serving a 20-game suspension following his arrest in May 2019.

He is due in court again Sept. 27.

Urías was arrested two months before he was due to hit the market as one of the top starting pitchers in this free-agent class.

Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer was placed on administrative leave in July 2021 during an investigation into an allegation of sexual assault against the former Cy Young Award winner. Bauer was suspended for 324 games without pay in April 2022 under MLB's domestic violence policy. The suspension was reduced by an arbitrator, but the Dodgers released Bauer, who signed in Japan last March.

Reporting by The Associated Press.