Left-hander Julio Urias (29), who had a 20-win season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, can no longer play for the national team or the league in his home country of Mexico. Ahead of the free agency bonanza, he was penalized by Major League Baseball (MLB) for committing assault and was subsequently shunned in his home country.

According to 'AS Mexico' on the 20th (Korea time), Oracio del la Vega, the president of the Mexican Professional Baseball League (LMB), stated that Urias cannot join the Mexican national team for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) next year.

President del la Vega noted, "Urias cannot play in the Mexican league either. He has not met the conditions of the punishment set by U.S. authorities. He cannot play for the national team or the league until he completes his 36 months of probation."

On Sept. 4, 2023, Urias visited the BMO Stadium, home of LAFC, to watch Major League Soccer (MLS) but committed assault. He was reported by witnesses for his violent act of pushing his wife against a fence and pulling her hair and shoulders. Urias was arrested by police who arrived on the scene, and he was released the next day after posting bail of $50,000, but the Major League Baseball office issued an administrative leave. The Dodgers soon severed ties with Urias, removing all traces of him from the stadium mural to the clubhouse locker, and ending their relationship as he went into free agency after the season.

In April of last year, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office charged Urias with five misdemeanor counts, including one count of spousal battery, one count of false imprisonment, one count of assault, and two counts of domestic violence related to dating. Urias accepted the punishment without contesting it, receiving a sentence of 36 months probation, 30 days of community service, and completing a 52-week domestic violence counseling program.

After the judicial process ended, the Major League Baseball office also issued a suspension for Urias in March. Due to violations of the domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse prevention treaty, Urias was suspended through the first half of this year. He will be reinstated on July 18.

After taking a full year off due to the judicial process and investigation by the office, Urias was expected to undergo the process of returning to action in the Mexican league, but with his home country rejecting him, this has been stalled. With a year and a half without competitive play, it remains uncertain which team will take him in at this point.

The left-handed pitcher Urias from Mexico debuted in Major League Baseball in 2016 and spent all eight seasons up to 2023 with the Dodgers, recording a total of 158 games (122 starts, 717 innings), 60 wins, 25 losses, 4 saves, 8 holds, and an ERA of 3.11 with 710 strikeouts. He also recorded a save during Game 6 of the World Series, helping the Dodgers reclaim the championship after 32 years.

Starting as a full-time starter in 2021, Urias established himself as an ace. He excelled in 32 games (185⅔ innings) with 20 wins, 3 losses, an ERA of 2.96, and 195 strikeouts, ranking first in the National League (NL) for wins and winning percentage (.870). In 2022, he also excelled in 31 games (175 innings) with 17 wins, 7 losses, an ERA of 2.16, and 166 strikeouts, finishing first in the NL for ERA and third in the Cy Young.

During the 2023 free agency season, he struggled with the aftereffects of a hamstring injury, achieving 11 wins, 8 losses, an ERA of 4.60 across 21 games (117⅓ innings) but was still considered the top free agent pitcher. At the age of 27, he was young, and there were not many top free agent pitchers available on the market. With 'super agent' Scott Boras as his representative, Urias's value was expected to be over $200 million.

He was on the verge of a massive free agency but momentarily lost control of his anger, throwing away his wealth, fame, and prime years in his late 20s all at once. Having previously received a 20-game suspension for assaulting his girlfriend in May 2019, Urias became the first player to be disciplined twice since the Major League Baseball and the Players Association agreed to the domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse prevention treaty in August 2015. It is questionable whether any Major League team will take in Urias, who has also been expelled from his home country of Mexico.

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