Jeff PassanESPNJ5. Jul 2023 1:35pm ET1 minute read
New York Yankees substitute Jimmy Cordero has been suspended for the remainder of the 2023 season for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy.
Cordero, 31, had become a key part of the Yankees’ bullpen after not pitching in the majors since 2020. In 31 appearances, he had 34 strikeouts and 10 walks in 32⅔ innings with a 3.86 ERA and a .208 batting average and .317 slugging percentage, both well below league averages.
The New York Relief Corps has allowed the team to remain relevant despite an offensive lull since Aaron Judge was injured on June 7 with a torn ligament in his right big toe. The Yankees-Relievers have a 2.82 ERA, the best in the major leagues, and have conceded the fewest home runs while also hitting the highest ground ball average.
With a fastball that tops 97 mph and a slider to complement it, Cordero, who has spent previous seasons with the Nationals, Blue Jays and White Sox, proved a viable substitute for manager Aaron Boone in the middle inning and allowed no run in 23 appearances.
The league’s policy, negotiated with the MLB Players Association, is that no length of suspension is required. Cordero’s 76-game ban, which he has agreed to, is among the longest the league has ever given.
In a statement, the team said, “The Yankees fully support Major League Baseball’s investigative process and disciplinary action taken against Jimmy Cordero. There is no justification for domestic violence and we stand behind the goals, standards and enforcement of MLB law.” Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.