Rob Manfred: Jose Reyes domestic violence charges are ‘concerning’

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred addressed Jose Reyes’ domestic violence charges on Tuesday at the league’s general manager meetings.

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred addressed the domestic violence charges brought against Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes on Tuesday at the league’s general manager meetings.

Manfred described the claims as “concerning,” according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet Canada, and discussed the privacy Reyes should be afforded. 

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

Reyes was arrested in Hawaii on domestic abuse charges on Oct. 31. He was accused of grabbing his wife and shoving her into a sliding glass door at a hotel in Maui.

• REITER: Top 50 free-agent rankings

MLB announced a domestic violence policy in August that grants the commissioner the ability to determine the severity of any punishment. On Tuesday, Manfred said Reyes’s incident will be the first test the policy faces.

“We felt good about the policy when we negotiated it,” Manfred said. “This will be the first test, and I think it will stand the test.”

Reyes, 32, was acquired by the Rockies in July. He has two years remaining on his current contract, plus a team option for a third year.

- Kayla Lombardo