MLB puts Cubs shortstop Addison Russell on leave after ex-wife's blog post details abuse allegations

Tom Schad and Bob Nightengale USA TODAY

Published 1:49 PM EDT Sep 21, 2018

Major League Baseball has placed Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell on leave, hours after his ex-wife revealed more abuse charges on an Instagram post.

Thomas Field, the attorney who originally represented the ex-wife of Russell told USA TODAY Sports on Friday that the abuse charges revealed by Melisa Reidy in her Instagram post were indeed hers.

Russell's ex-wife detailed new allegations of domestic abuse against her former spouse in a blog post that she posted to her Instagram page early Friday.

Reidy wrote on her Instagram story that she has privately debated whether to go public about the abuse, which she described as both "physical (mistreatment)" and emotional distress. She then posted a link to the blog post, which is titled "you no longer have a secret, you have a story," in her Instagram bio.

"The first time I was physically mistreated by my spouse, I was in shock. I couldn’t wrap my head around what just happened," the blog post reads. "Why did he get so angry? What did I do for him to want to put his hands on me?"

Field, who represented Reidy until the case was moved to Florida, said that he contacted her Friday morning and was informed that she wrote the Instagram post that described physical abuse during their marriage, and believes that Major League Baseball will move swiftly once again to gain her cooperation.

“She thought it was time to come out and say these things,’’ said Field, head of the Family Law Practice Group for Beerman LLP in Chicago. “I texted with her this morning. It is her Instagram. She did feel like she didn’t have anything else to add at this time. I don’t know if that’s a permanent position or not.’’

The blog post, which does not name Russell, comes more than a year after MLB first opened an investigation into allegations of abuse against Russell.

That investigation was sparked last year when one of Reidy’s friends alleged domestic abuse on her own Instagram account, but Reidy did not cooperate with MLB investigators, and Russell was never punished.

“She wasn’t comfortable coming out and talking at the time for a variety of reasons,’’ Field said, “which I can’t disclose from my [attorney-client] privilege. They were on top of her trying to meet at the time, but she declined.

“I don’t know if MLB has reached out yet, but if they haven’t, I expect they will in the next day or two. They were pretty tenacious the first time around, and were disappointed. They had the allegations from a post from her friend, but not hers directly.

"This is different. It’s a post, not her words out loud in an interview, but it is a post. They are going to have to verity those are her words to pursue further investigation of it.’’

MLB said in a statement Friday:

“Major League Baseball takes all allegations of Domestic Violence seriously. When the allegations against Addison Russell became public on June 7, 2017, the Commissioner’s Office’s Department of Investigations immediately commenced an investigation. Melisa Russell declined to participate in the investigation at that time. Our investigation of this matter has remained open and we have continued our efforts to gather information.

“With the new details revealed in today’s blog post by Ms. Russell, Mr. Russell has been placed on Administrative Leave in accordance with the Joint MLB-MLBPA Domestic Violence Policy. We are hopeful that this new information will allow us to complete the investigation as promptly as possible.”

Russell denied the initial allegations of abuse last summer, saying in a 2017 statement that "any allegation I have abused my wife is false and hurtful."

Cubs owner Theo Epstein is expected to address the media this afternoon. The club released this statement:

“We take allegations of domestic violence seriously and support the League’s decision to place Addison Russell on administrative leave given new details revealed today. We will continue to cooperate with the League’s investigation so the appropriate action can be taken.”

After Reidy alleged in a 2017 Instagram post that Russell had cheated on her, a woman who's been identified as her friend, Carlie Reed, wrote in a comment that Reidy had been a victim of abuse. "Melisa didn't want that out but I'll say it. He hit her. In front of Aiden and Mila," Reed commented. (Aiden is the couple's only child, and Mila is Russell's daughter from a previous relationship.)

MLB, the team, Russell and his agent did not immediately reply to requests for comment from USA TODAY Sports on Friday. The lawyer who represented Reidy in the divorce proceedings also did not reply to a request for comment.

According to Reidy's blog post, the first incident of abuse occurred "a few months" after she was married — which, according to online court records in Florida, was Jan. 9, 2016. She said it "tore me apart" and "I saw a darkness in him I've never seen or experienced in him or anyone else."

The post goes on to detail emotional and verbal abuse ranging from belittlement to intimidation and manipulation, escalating to the point that "I felt like I was nothing," she writes.

Reidy also detailed the previously-mentioned allegations of cheating and writes that her former spouse generally came to ignore her presence, which she claims led to depression. She writes that she eventually chose to fly home to Florida and file for divorce, but the effects of the abuse lingered.

"It took months for night terrors to stop, to not have panic attacks 3 times a week, to look in the mirror and not feel worthless," she writes.

According to online records, Reidy and Russell's divorce was finalized Aug. 30, more than 15 months after the initial petition was filed.

Reidy wrote on Instagram on Friday that she ultimately decided to come forward with details of the abuse because "I've been seeing a lot more and more of these situations around me.

"I've seen the woman I was a year ago in women around me in very similar or sadly even worse situations," she wrote on her Instagram story. "So with that being said, it's been on my heart for a while now that I should share my story, a chapter in my life that has impacted me more than anything, but most importantly how I overcame it. I hope my testimony can touch the hearts that are needing some encouragement and strength."

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad and Nightengale @BNightengale.

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