Colorado Rockies Jose Reyes Suspended Through May 31
It may have taken longer than anticipated, but Major League Baseball has announced the punishment for Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes.
Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes was suspended through May 31st on Friday afternoon by Major League Baseball.
Reyes, who faced domestic violence charges in Hawaii, for which he was not convicted, had been placed on paid leave by MLB in Spring Training. During the leave, he has not been permitted to be with the team.
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The suspension is retroactive to the first game of the year, meaning he’ll forfeit all of the salary earned while on paid leave. That equates to $7.06 million. Reyes is also required to donate $100,000 to a charity focused on domestic violence, per MLB. Reyes has also announced that he will not appeal, which may have impacted the length of his suspension.
Reyes, who is signed through the 2017 season, can begin a minor league rehab assignment on June 1st.
The emergence of Trevor Story for the Rockies thus far in 2016, though, opens up questions on how much Reyes will play once the suspension and rehab assignment have been completed. Story is slashing .266/.327/.597 and has hit 11 home runs.
Perhaps the best avenue for Reyes to find playing time with the Rockies would be to transition into a utility role. While it has been over a decade since he played at another position, he did play 43 games at second for the Mets in his rookie year, and did appear in seven games at third during his time in the minors. Likewise, if he does show that he can handle a utility role, it could increase his value for those teams interested in the Rockies shortstop.
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According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, there are several teams interested in trading for Reyes, a four-time all-star, who is slated to make $22 million in 2016 and 2017, with a $22 million club option for 2018.