UPDATED @ 10:54 p.m.:
A national sports website is reporting that Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman, the subject of a report that has him being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, has been implicated as having attacked his girlfriend — choked her — during an argument at his Florida-area home in October.
Chapman is accused of discharging a weapon at least eight times in the garage following the alleged domestic row with his girlfriend, who told police the fireball throwing left-hander “choked” her and pushed her against a wall, according to police reports obtained by Yahoo Sports. The story broke about an hour ago on sports.yahoo.com.
No arrests were made after the incident, in which more than a dozen police officers were dispatched to Chapman’s home in Davie, Fla., around 11 p.m. on Oct. 30.
Chapman’s girlfriend hid in bushes following the argument that stemmed from something she found on Chapman’s cellphone, according to the police report.
Jay Reisinger, Chapman’s attorney, told Yahoo Sports on Monday night that he has reviewed the facts as portrayed.
“On behalf of Mr. Chapman, we vehemently deny the allegations as stated. Beyond that, we have no further comment at this time,” he said.
The Reds, through a spokesman, declined comment when asked about the allegations.
The Reds have attempted to trade Chapman in recent weeks and were believed to have completed a trade with the Dodgers on Monday until word of the incident held up the deal, sources told Yahoo Sports.
Through a spokesman, Major League Baseball confirmed to Yahoo Sports that it would investigate the incident.
Chapman, 27, is the hardest-throwing pitcher in baseball history and considered among the best closers in baseball after six dominating seasons as a left-handed relief ace for the Reds.
MLB.com reported late Monday night that Reds president of baseball operations Walt Jocketty postponed a scheduled 5 p.m. CT briefing with Reds beat reporters amid reports that a Chapman trade to the Dodgers was in place at baseball’s Winter Meetings on Monday.
Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi convened his session with the team’s media contingent, but would not comment on any Chapman deal.
Reds manager Bryan Price, asked about the potential trade of Chapman, declined to offer any speculation.
“I think that obviously everyone knows that is there’s a lot of interest in several players that we have. I think it’s just not for me to suggest anything, I think puts everybody in a bad place,” Price said. “So if anything happens with any of our guys, it would be nice if it happened sooner rather than later, but that’s just the nature of the beast. I wish I had more for you, but I think it would be reckless to say anything more.”
