New York Yankees star Aroldis Chapman has been suspended 30 games for allegedly choking out his girlfriend Cristina Barnea.
The incident happened in October of 2015 during a dinner party at his Florida home. Barnea went through Chapman’s cell and reportedly discovered a conversation with another woman. Chapman (28) and Barnea (22) have a daughter that was born in May have 2015.
Charges were never filed in the case do to conflicting statements. Like the NFL, Major League Baseball has developed a tougher stance on domestic violence after several high profile incidents with professional ballers putting their hands on women. Chapman’s suspension is the first under the MLB’s new policy. In it, a player does not have to be convicted in order to be suspended.
Via ESPN:
“I want to be clear, I did not in any way harm my girlfriend that evening. However, I should have exercised better judgment with respect to certain actions, and for that I am sorry,” Chapman said in a statement. “The decision to accept a suspension, as opposed to appealing one, was made after careful consideration. I made this decision in an effort to minimize the distractions that an appeal would cause the Yankees, my new teammates and most importantly, my family. I have learned from this matter, and I look forward to being part of the Yankees’ quest for a 28th World Series title. Out of respect for my teammates and my family, I will have no further comment.”
Chapman will be available in preseason, with the suspension starting April 4, opening day of the 2016 season. Chapman will lose 30 days of pay, that’s $1.8 million of his $11.3 million salary.
For more photos of Christina, head to page 2.
