No Relief for Urías: Dodgers Erase Pitcher’s Presence Amid Domestic Violence Charges

(LOS ANGELES) — Dodger Stadium crews have edited a prominent mural depicting Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, Julio Urías, during the team’s away series against Seattle.

Urías was arrested on domestic violence charges on Sept. 3, after he allegedly attacked a woman outside of Exposition Park in Los Angeles.  The incident allegedly took place following the soccer match between LAFC and Inter Miami.  

This is Urías’ second arrest involving domestic violence. According to the Los Angeles Times, he is currently on leave from the Dodgers while an investigation is conducted and is not expected to return given his free-agency status this upcoming winter. 

Many fans flooding into the stadium on Sept. 13 continued to sport their Urías jersey or shirt.   

The Los Angeles Times also reports that before the start of the Dodgers series against the Padres Urías’ clubhouse locker was cleared out and multiple murals have been removed from the stadium, which depict the pitcher.  

The mural spots are located on both the Loge and Club levels and have now either been covered over in grey paint temporarily or repainted to depict other members of the team.  The mural painted by famous local artist, Jonas Never, has been reworked to remove Urías and include players Will Smith and Austin Barnes.  There has been no news on what will be put in the other blank spots. 

A Dodgers Team Store employee, who asked not to be named, confirmed that they were not given a briefing on the incident and only found out that the inventory had been removed when they came to work on the next home game day.  When employees arrived at the stadium for the beginning of the current homestand, all the merchandise with Urías’ name had been taken down.  

 Dodgers fan Alonzo Gonzalez was among those still wearing the pitcher’s name on their back.  Gonzalez said, “It’s a touchy subject, it’s not good what he did on the outside.” 

When asked if he agreed with the murals being taken down around the stadium he commented, “Yeah, I mean, it makes sense and I get it, what he has done is not good.”  

Asked if he thought the organization should take away Urías’ World Series ring, Gonzalez said, “I don’t think so. What he did on the field was good, they should just let him go.”  Urías was the closing pitcher for the Dodgers and therefore credited in the team’s 2020 World Series win.  

While fans can no longer purchase Urías merchandise inside the stadium, it is still available online at MLBshop.com and Fanatics.