NEW YORK (AP) -Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Julio Mateo was arrested Saturday following a dispute at a Manhattan hotel that left his female companion needing five stitches to her mouth, police said.
Police initially identified the woman as Mateo’s wife, but later said it was unclear whether that was true.
The 6-foot, 220-pound reliever was arrested on a charge of third-degree assault and was awaiting arraignment, police said.
The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, police said, shortly after the Mariners defeated the New York Yankees 15-11 in a game where Mateo did not pitch.
Mateo was not at the hotel when police arrived, police spokesman Sgt. Mike Wysokowski said.
The 29-year-old Mateo voluntarily turned himself in at a Manhattan police station early Saturday evening. It was not immediately clear whether he had retained a lawyer, and an e-mail and phone message to his agent, Martin Arburua, were not immediately returned.
The woman was treated for her injuries at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan, according to Wysokowski.
“We’ve encouraged Julio to cooperate with the proper authorities and it’s our understanding that’s what he plans to do,” Mariners spokesman Tim Hevly said. “Otherwise while this is in the legal system, we can’t have any further comment.”
Hevly said he was unsure of Mateo’s whereabouts when New York played the Mariners on Saturday at Yankee Stadium. There was no sign of the Dominican Republic native in the Mariners’ clubhouse before the game, and his jersey was hanging in his locker.
After Seattle’s 8-1 loss, Mateo was sent down to Triple-A Tacoma. He was 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA in nine games this season.
“It has nothing to do with what has gone on,” Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said. “It has everything to do with the fact that we were playing a man short today and we don’t know anything about the situation as far as how long it’s going to take or last.”
Mateo was in the final season of a $1,875,000, two-year contract. He and his wife, Aurea, had their second child, Julian, in March.
Last year, Mateo was leading all major league relievers with nine wins when an August weightlifting accident sidelined him with a broken left hand. The righty was 9-4 with a 4.19 ERA in 48 games last season.
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Associated Press Writer David B. Caruso and AP Sports Writer Jay Cohen contributed to this report.
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