San Diego Padres: Jose Torres Suspended for Rest of 2018 Season

The San Diego Padres’ left-handed reliever has been suspended 100 games by MLB for violating the league’s domestic violence policy.

Major League Baseball has levied a 100-game penalty, a season-ending suspension, upon San Diego Padres’ left-handed reliever Jose Torres for violating the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assualt, and Child Abuse Policy, retroactive to June 5.

In December, Torres, 24, was arrested for allegedly knocking a door off its hinges and pointing a weapon at a woman in his Phoenix home. He also allegedly kicked a laundry door, striking his wife in her leg and causing an injury.

As per Kevin Acee of San Diego Union-Tribune, Torres was formally charged with assault with a deadly weapon, criminal damage, and making threats or intimidation. The Padres placed him on the restricted list in February.

As per the San Diego Reader, Torres was scheduled to appear in Phoenix Maricopa County Superior Court for trial on July 2 after pleading guilty to the aforementioned charges on March 27.

From Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred released a statement regarding the suspension.

Torres’ wasted opportunity

The 24-year-old lefty showed a lot of promise in his three innings of work with the Padres in 2016, not allowing an earned run but giving up three hits and two walks. Last season, we got a clearer picture of the actual developmental stage of the Venezuelan native.

In 68.1 innings in 2017, Torres had a 4.21 earned-run average and a 4.67 FIP (fielding independent pitching rating). To his credit, his 1.156, 8.3 strikeouts and 2.1 walks per nine innings were very encouraging.

This would be the longest suspension handed out in the brief history of the league’s DV policy (Hector Olivera, 82 games), as per MLBTR.com.

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Editor’s Note:  A hundred game suspension is simply not enough of a penalty to make the next guy think twice about doing it. There is absolutely no place in professional sports for domestic abusers. That goes the same for society, but that’s another discussion for another day in a different forum.