Former All-Star shortstop Omar Vizquel has been accused of domestic abuse by his wife, Bianca, according to a report in The Athletic.
Bianca Vizquel, 36, who initiated divorce proceedings in August, reportedly said Vizquel abused her in 2011 — before they were married — and again in 2016. She also said cited a heated argument in August.
Omar Vizquel, 53, denied the claims to the publication.
“I don’t have anything to say. This is a divorce and I know she’s really (expletive) off. There is a lot of things (being said) out there about things supposedly happening behind closed doors, you know. I don’t have anything to say about that, either. It’s just a divorce.”
An attorney for the former player said Vizquel “flatly denies” any claims of domestic violence.
In 2016, Omar Vizquel was taken into custody by Seattle police after Bianca told officers he had pushed her during an argument, but later wrote a letter seeking to drop charges. She told The Athletic that her husband coerced her into signing the letter.
In the alleged 2011 incident, Omar Vizquel allegedly began to strangle his future wife, but both parties accepted blame and told police they did not want to pursue charges.
Major League Baseball also reportedly is looking into the claims, along with an alleged 2019 clubhouse incident while he was managing the Double-A Birmingham Barons.
Vizquel played with six teams over a 24-year career, most notably with the Cleveland Indians (1994-2004). A career .272 hitter, he was best known for his defense and won 11 Gold Glove awards.
He retired following the 2012 season and is in his fourth year of eligibility for Hall of Fame voting. In 2020, he gained his highest vote total — 52.6 percent.
–Field Level Media
