Report: Chapman accused of domestic violence, Dodgers trade on hold
The drama over the Dodgers’ and Reds’ reported deal to send closer Aroldis Chapman played out throughout the day Monday, but the real bombshell came Monday night.
Yahoo Sports’ Tim Brown and Jeff Passan reported late Monday that Chapman allegedly fired eight gunshots in the garage of his Miami home during an argument in October during which his girlfriend told police the pitcher choked her and pushed her against a wall, citing police reports obtained by the site.
Both Yahoo and FOX Sports MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal cited sources that this alleged incident is the reason the once-thought finalized trade is now being held up, despite denials by Chapman’s attorney, Jay Reisinger.
Cincinnati Enquirer Reds reporter C. Trent Rosecrans reported later Monday night from baseball's Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn., that the Reds' deal with the Dodgers is not dead per Reds GM Walt Jocketty, but it sounds clear the deal's inevitability is no longer what it seemed earlier in the day.
"I've reviewed the facts as portrayed," Reisinger told Yahoo. "On behalf of Mr. Chapman, we vehemently deny the allegations as stated. Beyond that, we have no further comment at this time."
#Reds Jocketty said any trade of Chapman could take several weeks
— C. Trent Rosecrans (@ctrent) December 8, 2015
According to the report, which can be read in full here, the argument allegedly began when Chapman’s girlfriend found something on Chapman’s phone which she did not like. Numerous witnesses gave their accounts of what happened following the initial argument and, according to the report, Chapman did admit to firing a gun in the garage of his Davie, Fla., home, though he said he locked himself in the garage beforehand and then threw the gun away in the garage.
No charges were ultimately filed, however, and the police report ended with this line:
"Due to conflicting stories, lack of cooperation by the victim and witnesses, no physical injuries, and the fact that Mr. Chapman fired his gun in a closed garage with no one present, there is insufficient evidence to charge him with a crime.”
Reports surfaced Sunday that the Dodgers and Reds were closing in on a deal that would send the 27-year-old All-Star and hardest-throwing pitcher in baseball to Los Angeles, likely for a package of prospects. On Monday, sources told Rosenthal that the deal was done, pending physicals.
Yahoo reported that MLB will investigate the Davie incident. Rosecrans reported the same, and confirmed Chapman would be subject to the league's new domestic abuse policy agreed to in August.
