Manfred: MLB will investigate Jose Reyes incident

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Major League Baseball will launch an investigation into Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes’ alleged domestic abuse when he was arrested at a resort in Hawaii last month.

“Obviously, it’s an issue of concern to us,’’ Commissioner Rob Manfred said Tuesday morning at baseball's general managers' meetings. “We will process this one consistent to the new policy with the new policy that we negotiated with the MLBPA.’’

Reyes was arrested on Oct. 31 and charged with abusing a family or household member, according to the Maui County Police Department. The alleged incident occurred in the couple's bedroom at the Four Seasons Resort in Wailea.

Reyes’ wife, Katherine told police that he grabbed her by the neck and shoved her into a sliding-glass door. She suffered injuries to her thigh, neck and chest. She was treated at the scene by medics and later transported to the Maui Memorial Medical Center for further treatment.

Reyes was released on $1,000 bond and ordered by Maui police to avoid contact with his wife for three days.

Peter Greenberg, Reyes' agent, declined comment on the arrest until he finds out more information.

Reyes will become the first player subject to Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy, which was agreed upon by MLB and the players' association in August. The policy does not include suggested guidelines for length of suspension, but allows Manfred to “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.”

“The key from our perspective,’’ Manfred said, “was being proactive and negotiating what we see as a comprehensive policy with the MLBPA, so everybody knows how the process is going to work, how we are going to move forward together.

“This is just not a disciplinary policy. It is a policy that requires evaluations, counseling and a variety of other activities in addition to the disciplinary component. We felt good about the policy when we negotiated it. This will be the first test, and I think it will withstand the test.’’

The Colorado Rockies, in a statement released by the club, said they were "extremely disappointed and concerned to learn of the allegations regarding Jose Reyes." Rockies officials were unaware of the arrest until news broke of the incident Monday night.

Reyes, 32, is a four-time All-Star who was traded from Toronto to Colorado in July. He won the 2011 batting title while with the New York Mets; in 2016, he'll be entering the fifth year of a six-year, $106 million contract.

After almost a year of discussions between MLB and the union, the sides enacted a domestic violence policy that will lean heavily on a seven-person Joint Policy Board, comprised of two members each from MLB and the players’ union, along with three experts in the field of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. One of the board’s expert members will submit a treatment plan to the full board for approval and oversee the player’s compliance with the plan.

“There’s a balance there,’’ Manfred said. On the one hand, I think our fans want to know the case has been dealt with appropriately. On the other hand, whoever the player is, the fact that he’s a Major League player doesn’t mean that he has absolutely no right to privacy, and that everything that has gone on in the context of a relationship or a marriage has to be public.’’