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Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig was reportedly involved in a fight in a Miami bar on Wednesday night, though he wasn't arrested The incident, at Blue Martini in Miami, was first reported by Renato Bermudez of ESPN Deportes.
Filth merchant TMZ followed up Friday with more details:
We spoke with employees at Blue Martini in Miami, who tell us Puig was drinking with his sister Wednesday night when they got into a heated argument ... and things escalated when he pushed her.
Bar staffers immediately rushed over to break it up, but Puig turned on them ... getting physical with several staffers.
The crew was eventually able to get Puig outside where they say he brutally sucker punched the manager, setting off a brawl.
Puig was not arrested, though a call to the Miami Police Department wasn't returned.
Later Friday night, a Miami PD spokesman denied any known physical altercation between Puig and his sister, per Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times:
Miami PD spokesman: "No shoving was alleged" between Puig and his sister.
— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) November 28, 2015
Miami PD spokesman: "To the best of our knowledge, the only physical altercation was between the bouncer and Puig."
— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) November 28, 2015
Because Puig and bouncer didn't have any interest in pressing charges against each other, Miami PD considers the case closed.
— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) November 28, 2015
TMZ added more details, including that Puig suffered "swollen left eye, and bumps and bruises to the face," which matches this report from Andy Slater of the Palm Beach Post:
SLATER SCOOP: Miami police were unable to determine who started Yasiel Puig fight at bar. He left with swollen left eye, I'm told. #Dodgers
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) November 27, 2015
Miami police spokesman Major Delrish Moss spoke with the Associated Press on Thursday evening:
The spokesman says the bouncer claimed Puig sucker-punched him; Puig said the bouncer got too aggressive. Moss says neither wanted to press charges.
The Dodgers declined comment on the matter on Friday.
Hernandez added that even though Puig wasn't arrested, this incident might fall under the purview of the new MLB domestic violence policy (though it sounds less likely with later Friday reports of no physical altercation between Puig and his sister):
Yasiel Puig will be investigated by the commissioner’s office under Major League Baseball’s new domestic violence policy, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke under the condition of anonymity because MLB is still gathering facts pertaining to a reported incident involving the Dodgers outfielder.
Per the new domestic violence policy, enacted jointly by the MLB and MLB Players Association in August, there is no minimum or maximum penalty:
The Commissioner shall have authority to discipline a player who commits an act of domestic violence, sexual assault or child abuse for just cause. There is no minimum or maximum penalty prescribed under the policy, but rather the Commissioner can issue the discipline he believes is appropriate in light of the severity of the conduct. The Commissioner’s authority to discipline is not dependent on whether the player is convicted or pleads guilty to a crime.
Players are allowed to appeal any such decision, to an arbitration panel consisting of one MLB representative, one MLBPA rep, and one mutually-agreed impartial arbiter.