Is Addison Russell Still Playing Baseball?
Contents
Is Addison Russell still playing baseball? The answer may surprise you.
Addison Russell’s Career
Addison Russell was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft. He made his debut in 2015 and was a key member of the Cubs team that won the World Series in 2016. Russell struggled with injuries and off-field issues in 2017 and was traded to the Oakland Athletics in 2018. He was suspended for violating the MLB’s domestic violence policy in 2019 and has not played in the MLB since.
Addison Russell’s early career
Addison Russell was drafted by the Oakland Athletics with the eleventh pick in the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft out of Pace Academy in Fulton County, Georgia. He signed with the Athletics, receiving a $1.8 million signing bonus, and was assigned to the AZL Athletics where he spent the 2012 season.
Addison Russell’s time with the Chicago Cubs
Addison Russell was a key member of the Chicago Cubs team that won the 2016 World Series. He was the Cubs’ starting shortstop and helped the team to a 103-win regular season. However, Russell’s time with the Cubs has been marred by off-field issues. In 2019, he was suspended for 40 games after violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. The following year, he was released by the Cubs after more allegations of domestic violence surfaced. Russell has not played in the majors since 2019 and his future in baseball is uncertain.
Addison Russell’s domestic violence allegations
In June 2019, former Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell was banned from Major League Baseball for 40 games after he violated the league’s domestic violence policy. The allegations against Russell first surfaced in 2017 when his ex-wife, Melisa Reidy, accused him of physical and emotional abuse.
Reidy detailed the alleged abuse in a blog post, writing that Russell had been physically abusive on “multiple occasions,” including one incident where he allegedly shoved her into a bathroom and another where he hit her in the face with a chair. She also accused him of choking her and making threats against her life.
Russell denied the allegations at the time, but after an MLB investigation, he was suspended for violating the league’s domestic violence policy. He promptly appealed the suspension, but it was upheld by an independent arbitrator.
Russell has not played in the MLB since his suspension, and it is unclear if he will ever play again.
Addison Russell’s Current Status
Addison Russell was suspended from baseball in 2019 for violating the league’s domestic violence policy. He was eligible to return to the game in May of 2020, but he has not been signed by a team. Although he is still technically eligible to play, it seems unlikely that he will return to the MLB.
Addison Russell’s suspension
Addison Russell was suspended by Major League Baseball on September 21, 2018, for violating the league’s domestic violence policy. He is eligible to return to the Chicago Cubs on February 22, 2019.
Addison Russell’s current team
The Chicago Cubs released Addison Russell on Wednesday following a lengthy stint on the restricted list stemming from domestic violence allegations.
Russell, 25, was placed on paid leave in late September when his ex-wife, Melisa Reidy-Russell, published a blog post detailing years of physical and emotional abuse. Reidy-Russell also accused her ex-husband of cheating on her throughout their marriage.
In a statement released by the Cubs, team president Theo Epstein said the decision to release Russell was “in the best interests of all parties involved.”
“We reached this decision after a thorough review of the facts and circumstances surrounding Mr. Russell’s privileges as a Major League Baseball player,” Epstein said. “We harbored no ill will toward Mr. Russell prior to or during our review.”
The Cubs also announced that they would be donating $2 million to various domestic violence prevention and awareness organizations.
“Domestic violence is abhorrent and has no place in our game or society,” Epstein said. “We hope that our actions today send a loud and clear message that it will not be tolerated within our organization or in baseball as a whole.”
What the Future Holds for Addison Russell
Addison Russell was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut in 2015, and helped the Cubs win the World Series in 2016. Russell was suspended for 40 games in 2019 for violating the MLB’s domestic violence policy. After he served his suspension, the Cubs opted not to bring him back, and he became a free agent. It is unclear if Russell will continue his career in baseball, but let’s take a look at what the future could hold for him.
Will Addison Russell be reinstated?
On September 21, 2019, Addison Russell was suspended 40 games by Major League Baseball for violating the league’s domestic violence policy. The suspension came after his ex-wife, Melisa Reidy, published a blog post in which she accused him of physical and emotional abuse. Reidy later told ESPN that she “100 percent” stood by her allegations. Russell has denied the allegations.
Under MLB’s domestic violence policy, players can be suspended for up to one year for a first offense. However, the length of Russell’s suspension was reduced because he cooperated with MLB’s investigation and attended counseling sessions.
It is unclear if or when Russell will be reinstated by MLB. Reidy has said that she does not want him to be reinstated until he takes ” accountability ” for his actions and completes counseling. For now, it seems unlikely that Russell will play professional baseball again anytime soon.
If Addison Russell is reinstated, will he be able to play for a major league team?
Under existing rules, any team that signs Addison Russell would be required to place him on the 40-man roster, meaning they would have to release someone else.
Additionally, any team that signing Addison Russell would be required to keep him on the active roster for at least 45 days.
There are a number of players who are out of minor league options, meaning they would have to be exposed to waivers if they were sent down. As a result, it is unlikely that Addison Russell will be signed by a major league team until after the season starts and teams have had a chance to assess their needs.
What will happen to Addison Russell’s career if he is not reinstated?
It is unclear what will happen to Addison Russell’s career if he is not reinstated by Major League Baseball. Russell was placed on administrative leave in 2019 after allegations of domestic violence surfaced. If he is not reinstated, it is possible that he will never play professional baseball again.