There are some significant penalties Major League Baseball could levy against Aroldis Chapman when they hand down punishment for his domestic incident.
Commissioner Rob Manfred is expected to rule before the season begins on a punishment for Chapman, who allegedly fired eight shots in his garage after an altercation with his girlfriend, who accused him of choking her.
Beyond a simple suspension, there are other things the league can do to Chapman. According to Billy Witz of the New York Times, Chapman could be required to give up his weapons, relocate from a home shared with the partner, limit interactions with the partner, submit to psychological evaluations, or attend counseling. Refusal to do these things, if handed down, could lead to further discipline. Such additional penalties are prescribed by domestic violence experts appointed by the players’ union and the league itself.
In addition, unlike other suspensions, domestic violence bans are still in effect during the appeals process. Chapman has said he will appeal any suspension he receives.
Chapman was not charged for the incident and it has been reported that any suspension likely won’t be a lengthy one, but if Manfred elects to impose some of these off-field penalties, it could be a quite significant punishment all the same.
