UPDATE: Interesting note here from Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, who writes that the Red Sox were exploring a possible trade for Chapman last month until they learned about the alleged domestic violence incident in a background check. Of course, they eventually moved on and acquired Craig Kimbrel from the Padres. But the bigger question is when did MLB (and/or the Reds) find out?
10:17 p.m. ET: It was reported this morning that the Dodgers agreed to acquire closer Aroldis Chapman from the Reds, but things have been curiously quiet ever since. Now we know why. And it’s not good.
According to Tim Brown and Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, the proposed deal has been held up after the Dodgers learned of an alleged domestic violence incident from October in which Chapman allegedly choked his girlfriend and fired eight gunshots in his garage.
The full police report is available at Yahoo, but below is the account of Chapman’s girlfriend:The incident started, Chapman’s girlfriend told police, after she went into a bathroom of Chapman’s 10,000-square-foot-plus house and “found something in his phone that she did not like,” according to the report. Chapman, his girlfriend told police, then took the phone from her, the report said. They went to the movie theater inside of Chapman’s home, where “he had pushed her against the wall,” according to the report, and “that Chapman had ‘choked’ her by placing his hands around her neck, but did not prevent her from breathing at any time.” Police did not observe “injuries or even redness anywhere on her neck or chest,” the report said.
Chapman’s girlfriend told police her brother “came into the theater and separated them,” the report said. Chapman’s girlfriend told police she “ran outside because she was scared for her and her daughter,” according to the report. Her daughter was 4 months old, according to the report. While it is unclear whether the child is Chapman’s, he told police after a previous incident that they “had a child in common,” according to a police report.
Chapman allegedly fired the gunshots after the argument. 12 cops were ultimately dispatched to Chapman’s house. Police interviewed multiple people following the incident, but no arrests were made “due to conflicting stories and a lack of cooperation from all parties involved.”
Chapman’s attorney, Jay Reisinger, told Yahoo Sports that they “vehemently deny the allegations as stated,” but MLB still plans to investigate the incident under the new domestic violence policy. As part of the policy, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred can levy a punishment regardless of whether the player in question is found guilty or pleads guilty. It’s hard to imagine a trade involving Chapman to take place in the near future.