Elijah Dukes’ big-league career is likely over, but the former Rays and Nationals outfielder continues to make headlines for his off-field behavior.
Dukes was arrested Wednesday night in Florida for allegedly slapping his pregnant ex-girlfriend multiple times during a verbal altercation, with Ileana Morales of the St. Petersburg Times reporting that Dukes also has outstanding warrants for contempt of court and driving with a suspended license.
According to Morales the 26-year-old former top-ranked prospect was charged with aggravated battery and is being held in jail without bond. While the alleged battery occurred at a motel, the Associated Press reports that Dukes drove to his mother’s house and was arrested there “without incident.”
Dukes was suspended multiple times while playing in the Rays’ minor-league system--including a 2007 incident in which his ex-wife accused him of threatening her and their child--and the Nationals released him following the 2009 season for what was clearly something other than purely the “baseball reasons” they cited at the time.
Pretty safe to say he’s a bigger bust as a human being than he was as a baseball player.
